Chapter 156: The Truth Behind the Destruction of the Astraea Familia – Rescuing Ryuu Lion!
The Dian Cecht Familia was a massive organization. After following Airmid to their headquarters, Shirou confirmed this completely. Inside, there were numerous independent wards and various medical facilities—it looked just like a general hospital Shirou had seen in his previous life. By comparison, Naaza's clinic was just a small establishment.
It became clear why Airmid charged such exorbitant medical fees: without them, a large organization like this could not be sustained.
As Shirou pondered this, Airmid led him to a room deep inside the Familia. This seemed to be a dedicated treatment room for patients. Upon entering, Airmid changed into her professional healing attire, put on white gloves, and turned to him.
"You can reveal your identity here, right? If I don't understand the exact situation, treatment and surgery will be less effective," Airmid said seriously. "Don't worry. For Alise's sake, I won't reveal anything about you to anyone."
"All right." Shirou nodded at her words. Without hesitation, he removed his cloak and exposed his severely damaged body to Airmid.
"Eh…" Seeing Shirou's injuries, which were beyond description, Airmid gasped. She clearly hadn't expected a human to be able to walk independently after suffering such severe wounds, and yet he appeared almost unharmed. Ordinarily, someone so gravely injured would be bedridden, unable to move.
Airmid was shocked by Shirou's exaggerated willpower. She stared at him, then asked, "Have we met somewhere before?"
"Long ago. I once received a warning from you while being treated by Miss Naaza."
"Oh, it was then." Airmid recalled that chance encounter with Shirou and nodded slightly, her expression complex.
"I heard that the chief god of Naaza's Familia, Miach, returned to the heavens, and the culprit is still unknown. Naaza was affected and could no longer run Azure Pharmacy, so she had to seek refuge with another Familia."
"…" Shirou nodded casually. The news of him killing Miach clearly hadn't leaked. It was evident that the Ouranos faction was doing everything to conceal the underground truth, ensuring no one learned about the Xenos experiments.
This realization eased Shirou; at least officially, neither Ouranos nor the guild would issue a wanted notice for him.
In fact, even after revealing his identity to Airmid, she didn't care much. Publicly, Shirou's "crime" in Orario was limited to the annihilation of the Hermes Familia.
"By the way, Miss Asfi of the Hermes Familia is also receiving treatment here," Airmid said, looking at Shirou strangely. "Do you want to see her?"
"Do you think she would want to see me?"
"Perhaps," Airmid joked lightly. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone you're being treated here, including Asfi."
"Thank you." Shirou nodded appreciatively.
Airmid ended the small talk and began examining his body. Just as when Shirou had been treated by Naaza, Airmid found it inconceivable that someone could survive such severe injuries and show no signs of pain. She couldn't imagine what horrors he had endured, how many times he had come close to death, to be so indifferent to extreme pain.
Without wasting time, Airmid began treatment immediately. She raised her hands, chanting:
"Healing drops, tears of light, eternal sanctuary, call forth the elixirs. The melody of three hundred sixty-five turns. The healing calendar shall save all beings. Come now, banish the evil. Bury the wounds, end the illness. Send the curse to the beyond, deliver to the core of light. In the name of the gods—I heal!"
Bright magic appeared around Shirou, and his injuries healed by more than half almost instantly.
"This is healing magic?" Experiencing magical treatment for the first time, Shirou was astonished. Previously, Naaza's potions had taken a long time, multiple sessions, just to restore his body. Airmid's magic had restored almost 70% of his fighting capability in a short moment.
After the spell, Airmid showed slight fatigue. "This is the limit of surface healing. The remaining wounds will require my potions over a few days to fully recover."
"Truly the strongest healer of Orario." Shirou admired her sincerely.
Airmid seemed accustomed to praise, remaining indifferent. She frowned slightly at Shirou. "While treating you, I sensed something off. Beyond the visible wounds, are there deeper injuries? My magic could not even touch them."
"Indeed." Shirou was again amazed by her abilities. He revealed the divine-power injury on his body. Seeing the gash torn by the Fragmented Sword, Airmid frowned. She had never seen such a wound but immediately assessed:
"This is caused by some kind of divine power, right?"
"Yes." Airmid's expression grew complex. How many mortals could survive divine injuries? Shirou was not only injured by divine power but survived—a reality beyond common understanding.
Being a professional healer, Airmid ignored the cause and focused on treatment possibilities. After a long moment, she said:
"Divine-power wounds are unprecedented, but not impossible to heal. I need to prepare. Go home today and return in three days."
"Three days?"
"Yes." Shirou nodded and turned to leave.
Suddenly, Airmid asked: "Should we tell Ryuu about Alise?"
"…." Shirou paused. He and Airmid both knew that Alise was only a fragment of a soul—not truly resurrected. Telling Ryuu wouldn't change anything and might cause her grief. Shirou left the choice to Alise.
"Alise, do you want to tell Ryuu?"
"…." Alise seemed conflicted, finally sighing: "I want to see Ryuu, but don't tell her about me. I just want to see how she is now."
"All right." Shirou nodded.
After paying the steep medical fees, he left the Dian Cecht Familia and headed toward the Hostess of Fertility.
"This is where Ryuu works now?" On the way, Shirou explained Ryuu's current situation to Alise: working as a tavern waitress. Though hard for Alise to imagine, she gradually accepted her former companion's changes.
At the tavern entrance, Shirou hesitated before entering. Due to being wanted by the Orario Guild, he had to hide his identity. Just a step inside, a girl named Syr ran excitedly toward him:
"Shirou-san, you're finally here!"
"Huh? How did you recognize me?" Shirou was confident in his disguise and could not understand how she recognized him.
"That's a girl's secret," Syr said with a smile, then led him inside.
Most servers at the Hostess of Fertility were identity-sensitive; some, like Shirou, were wanted by the guild. Even if his identity was revealed, they didn't care and greeted him happily.
Shirou, reflecting internally, quickly asked about Ryuu's whereabouts—his main purpose for coming.
"Looking for Ryuu?" Syr hesitated, then said with a complicated expression: "She went to the dungeon a few days ago after taking leave and hasn't returned."
"Dungeon?" Shirou hadn't expected this. After inquiring further, he learned that since the return of the Goddess of Justice, Astraea, Ryuu had been restless but did not meet the former god. Instead, she investigated the Rudra Familia.
The Rudra Familia was once part of Orario's Evilus. Though weakened now, they retained influence in the underworld. Most importantly, they were responsible for the annihilation of the Astraea Familia and were Ryuu's main target for revenge.
Since Rudra's chief god was not returned to the heavens, Ryuu had been relentlessly hunting their members, executing new recruits on sight. This was all a mortal could do against a god.
"Um, Shirou-san, could you go to the dungeon and help find Ryuu?" Syr suddenly asked. "Though similar things have happened before, this time I feel uneasy. She's been gone several days with no news…"
"Don't worry, I'll find Ryuu." Shirou said this both to Syr and to Alise within him. No matter the reason, he would locate Ryuu.
"Thank you!" Syr showed gratitude, giving Shirou information on the dungeon floors Ryuu might be on.
Shirou left immediately but didn't go straight to the dungeon. Instead, he returned to the artificial labyrinth of the Evilus.
"Thanatos, do you know about the Rudra Familia?" Shirou asked the grim reaper.
Thanatos looked somewhat puzzled but replied, "Of course. The Rudra Familia was part of the Evilus and had some contact with me."
"Some contact? Weren't you supposed to be in the same camp?"
"Most evil gods, yes. But Rudra was different," Thanatos explained. "You know that Orario's Evilus was annihilated years ago, and most evil gods were returned to the heavens, right?"
"Of course."
"Then, why do you think the evil god Rudra was not returned to the heavens?"
"…"
Hearing Thanatos' words, Shirou immediately furrowed his brow.
He almost instantly understood the implication behind them and couldn't help but speak: "You mean… he's not a mere evil god?"
"Exactly." Thanatos nodded silently. "After that Great Purge, most of Orario's evil gods were slaughtered. Only I, Ikelos, Rudra, and Enio survived. I couldn't return to the heavens, Enio successfully hid his true identity, and the reason Ikelos and Rudra weren't sent back to the heavens is the same."
"Rudra and Ikelos share the same reason? Could it be… Rudra is also Ouranos' puppet?"
"Most likely, yes," Thanatos nodded quietly. "Rudra is a god of both good and evil. He is neither purely benevolent nor purely malevolent. His existence is a fusion of two extremes, meaning his actions are completely unpredictable. Sometimes he leans toward the Evilus, other times toward the orderly faction. Considering that Rudra survived the Great Purge and wasn't sent back to the heavens, I suspect he is most likely a spy from Ouranos placed within the Evilus—a god disguised as an evil god."
"…"
Shirou, agreeing with Thanatos' analysis, immediately realized that the annihilation of the Astraea Familia involved a deeper conspiracy.
The Astraea Familia was completely destroyed under the leadership of the Rudra Familia. Yet, the Rudra Familia is connected to the god Ouranos.
Does this mean the destruction of the Astraea Familia also involves Ouranos?
But there was a contradiction: the Goddess of Justice, Astraea, had returned to Orario at Ouranos' invitation. Could it be that Astraea is unaware of everything happening behind the scenes?
The more Shirou thought, the more tangled the mystery became, making it impossible to discern the truth.
He realized he would likely need to find members of the Rudra Familia and extract the truth from them.
"Alise, you heard what was said just now, right?"
Before departing, Shirou spoke with Alise.
"Yeah." Alise's tone was somewhat downcast, but not entirely unprepared. "I had my suspicions at the time because the timing of our Familia's annihilation was far too convenient."
"Too convenient?"
"Yes. Around that time, I had been investigating the Xenos children and discovered an organization within the labyrinth city that hunted and transported them." Alise spoke with a complex tone. "I originally planned to destroy that organization in one strike and figure out their motives, but just before I could act, we were attacked by the Rudra Familia."
Paired with Alise's testimony, Shirou could almost confirm that Ouranos orchestrated the destruction of the Astraea Familia, using the Rudra Familia to carry it out.
So, could it be that even the Goddess Astraea had been manipulated by Ouranos?
If he informed the goddess of the truth, maybe she would turn against him… and Shirou wouldn't have to fight the strongest god of Genkai?
Such thoughts arose in Shirou's mind. If Astraea chose to side with him, the possibility of confronting Ouranos increased dramatically.
But Shirou didn't let himself get carried away. He reminded himself to remain calm.
First, he had to find members of the Rudra Familia to obtain the truth and evidence about the destruction of the Astraea Familia.
.
.
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Dungeon, 27th Floor.
A fierce chase was unfolding.
The pursuer was an elf in a green cloak, her blood-red eyes locked onto the frenzied human ahead like a wolf chasing blood.
She still dreamed of it.
Screams resounded, shrill cries scattered, tears dyed crimson.
The noble deaths of once-beautiful girls revived beneath her eyelids. The resentment of her companions became auditory hallucinations, scorching her body.
For this, she must take revenge. Even if her emotions completely collapsed, turning her into an unstoppable monster, she would not hesitate.
"Ryuu Lion…"
The men before her spoke in terror and fled desperately. Their desperate tones mirrored those of her fallen companions.
Reconstructing the scene, but Ryuu paid no attention.
She had become a merciless avenger. Since that day, her sole purpose was to annihilate the Rudra Familia completely. She would not allow this sinful family to rise again, not even new members untouched by blood. If they bore the mark of the Familia, she would not spare them.
This was revenge—a powerless mortal's only way to fight back against gods: directing blades at their own kind to show their rage.
Her will seemed to scream.
"No matter where you run, no matter how complex the labyrinth, I will catch you!"
Black embers spread like wildfire, instantly turning into hellfire—the fire of wrath, scorching the chest, indescribable.
Meanwhile, Ryuu unexpectedly saw a familiar figure among the Rudra Familia members: the very man responsible for the destruction of the Astraea Familia!
Alive!
Alive!
Alive!
That man—Jura Halmer!!
Ryuu roared at the lead cat-man of the Rudra Familia, her entire being ignited with vengeful fire. She shed the facade of justice, transforming into a pure beast.
"Eeeh! Eeehhh!?"
Seeing the elf's feral expression under her hood and her continuous shouting, the cat-man paled as if the apocalypse had arrived and fled.
Ryuu, consumed by vengeful fury, slaughtered every Rudra member blocking her and relentlessly pursued Jura Halmer.
"Depart into the endless night!" "Answer my foolish voice, I abandon you!" "Stars' brilliance strikes the foe!" "Wind of light!!"
Ryuu unleashed astonishing magic, a massive orb storm entwined with strong winds, blasting through walls and destroying the path before Jura Halmer.
"No, don't come—!"
The only path was obliterated. Jura Halmer's face twisted in despair and fear.
Ryuu advanced step by step, expression cold:
"My only mistake, Jura Halmer, was not finishing you off back then. While destroying the Rudra Familia, I didn't check properly, arrogantly assuming I had taken your life. I regret it… I should have killed you back then."
Her voice carried lamentation, yet her eyes never left the cat-man.
"But this mistake can be corrected now. I will settle everything, including your schemes."
Ryuu shouted, attempting to purge everything with her anger.
But she didn't notice: Jura Halmer, seemingly cornered and despairing, smirked slyly.
"Finally… finally this day has come!" Facing Ryuu's relentless advance, Jura Halmer laughed maniacally. "I've feared you for too long, Ryuu Lion! I've endured your hunt for too long! I am not your mere slaughtered slave. No, I will make you recall the fear you felt that day."
"What did you say?!"
Ryuu's eyes widened.
Suddenly, the entire floor erupted in a series of massive explosions.
"Boom!"
Countless blasts shook the floor almost simultaneously.
The familiar scene awakened ancient memories within Ryuu, making her body tremble.
Because the calamity that annihilated the Astraea Familia on the 27th floor… was about to recur before the world.
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