"Ryuu Lion"
Drake had been completely unprepared for Syr's sudden appearance, instinctively focusing all his attention on speaking with Freya's avatar. He hadn't immediately noticed that someone else was with her.
By the time he registered her presence, Ryuu had already seen the item in Drake's hand—an item that belonged to her enemy.
Five years ago, driven by revenge, Ryuu had cast aside her elven pride, her unwavering commitment to justice, even her own Familia's goddess and her own life. Now, even the sight of this object sent her spiraling.
Her shopping bag fell to the ground, scattering vegetables and fruit.
"Wait…!"
Drake had no chance to speak before Ryuu was upon him. She wasn't interested in explanations, launching a direct attack with a whip-like leg strike.
Drake didn't retaliate; he pushed Syr out of the way and backpedaled to avoid the blow. Ryuu's kick slammed into a building's corner, shattering the stone.
Syr, safely out of range thanks to Drake's deft maneuver, watched with growing interest. Ryuu is a top-tier Level 4 adventurer; her enraged attack was merciless.
Yet, her opponent not only effortlessly dodged the attack but also protected Syr. Syr was unaware that such a skilled adventurer existed in Orario. She wanted to see more of this mysterious young man.
Therefore, despite Syr's usual personality dictating that she would immediately try to stop Ryuu's outburst, she chose to observe.
Drake was unaware of Freya's mischievous nature; Ryuu, as expected, showed no signs of stopping.
Adventurers' titles, bestowed by the capricious gods, often reflected their fighting styles. Ryuu's title is "Gale", and her attacks were indeed like a raging storm. Unarmed, she could easily obliterate mid-level monsters with her bare hands.
However, in terms of martial skill, this elven lady was no match for Drake.
Ryuu launched a hand strike, but Drake caught her wrist, instantly stopping her attack.
Though overcome with rage, Ryuu's combat instincts remained sharp. The precision with which her attack was intercepted indicated a formidable opponent.
However, she had no time to consider her opponent's identity; the memory of her friend's blood felt fresh, and she wouldn't let anyone connected to that villain escape.
Pressing down on her arm, Ryuu delivered a side kick towards Drake's head, attempting to force him to release her wrist.
Drake understood Ryuu's loss of control, but that didn't mean he was willing to be attacked.
Drake used the grip on Ryuu's wrist to throw her across the street.
Ryuu, a highly experienced adventurer, performed a mid-air flip, landing gracefully.
The force of her landing shattered the ground; using this momentum, she charged at Drake again.
Her small fists rained down, the sounds of air being pierced forming a continuous barrage.
Yet, this furious assault couldn't penetrate Drake's defenses. Drake's hands moved with precision, deflecting, redirecting, and sometimes directly countering, perfectly neutralizing Ryuu's attacks.
Syr's eyes gleamed with excitement; she hadn't expected such a "surprise."
'Level 5, no, Level 6 perhaps?' Syr silently assessed Drake's strength, pondering his origins.
Ryuu's attacks grew faster and more frantic, revealing her impatience.
To Drake, this meant openings were appearing.
He parried Ryuu's punch, and as her stance faltered, Drake, like a nimble fish, slipped into her opening.
Drake's elbow struck Ryuu's other arm, targeting the weakest point in her muscles, instantly weakening her arm.
Then, Drake grabbed Ryuu's shoulders and pinned her to the ground.
Ryuu felt half her body go numb, involuntarily bending over.
Drake didn't want to prolong the fight; Ryuu's remaining self-control was rapidly fading.
If she lost control completely and unleashed her magic, the situation would escalate dramatically.
Even with Ryuu subdued, Drake was already dreading explaining this incident to the Guild.
Feeling Ryuu still struggling beneath him, Drake called out, "Miss, over there, could you perhaps intervene? Say something!"
Syr, seemingly snapping out of her trance, ran over. "Ryuu, what's wrong? Calm down!"
Syr's words were effective, restoring Ryuu's rationality.
While the cold aura lingered, Drake sensed her emotions calming.
"Sir, I've regained my composure. Please release me."
Subdued, Ryuu had regained much of her clarity; she realized her impulsive actions.
Syr's voice fully restored her rationality.
Drake released her; Ryuu stretched her arm and stood up straight.
Syr concernedly asked, "Ryuu, are you alright? Any injuries?"
Drake inwardly scoffed; why hadn't she shown this concern earlier?
Ryuu said apologetically, "I'm sorry; my impulsive actions caused you worry."
Turning to Drake, she said, "I also apologize for attacking without understanding the situation.
However, could you tell me more about that item?"
Drake took the earring from his pocket, where he'd placed it before the fight. "While I promised our Familia's goddess to keep this confidential, it involves you, so it's alright to tell you."
At that moment, Drake's stomach rumbled loudly.
Rubbing his stomach, Drake said, "My apologies; I'm quite hungry."
Syr chimed in, "Perfect! This isn't the place to talk. Let's go to our tavern; we have the best food in Orario.
Consider it an apology for Ryuu's outburst; she'll be paying."
Ryuu bowed deeply. "Please allow me to apologize properly!"
Drake nodded. "Then I won't refuse. Just don't complain if Ryuu runs out of money!"
Ryuu looked at Drake. "Please, don't hesitate. No amount of money can compensate for my rudeness."
Seeing Ryuu's serious expression, Drake felt a little awkward. It seemed the elven lady didn't understand jokes.
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