Crossover: The Problem Human of [Arcadia]

About thirty minutes after Ryo's battle ended, Leticia finally returned.

She was covered in dust from head to toe, dragging her battered body as she walked up to him.

The moment she arrived, she lowered her head. "I'm sorry, Leader. I embarrassed you."

There was a hint of grievance on her face.

Beside her, Lyra, whose antlers had been snapped clean off at the base, was so furious that drool leaked through the gap where her front teeth used to be.

'What the hell?! Sure, I won, but are you blind? Clearly, my injuries look worse than yours! ...And why are you acting like you got completely crushed? Vampire, have you no shame?!'

Even though Lyra was full of complaints, she didn't dare say a word after returning.

The reason was simple. The Moon Goddess standing nearby was radiating an oppressive aura.

Artemis stared at Lyra's miserable appearance, her face twitching with anger.

Her beautiful mount. The graceful deer that had once been renowned throughout the upper layers as one of the most beautiful creatures across countless Outer Gates... now looked like this.

That alone was bad enough.

But what was with that vampire standing beside her looking all wronged?

Trying to play the victim?

The more Artemis thought about it, the darker her expression became.

She shot Lyra a fierce glare.

She wasn't angry because Lyra had failed to win. She was angry because Lyra had won so embarrassingly.

With a cold snort, Artemis tossed a Healing Gift toward her. "Take this. Then get out of my sight and recover."

"Yes, ma'am!" Lyra caught the bottle-shaped Gift in her mouth and happily trotted off.

She knew Artemis well. The goddess might scold her a little, but once that was over, the matter was finished.

She'd never deliberately make life difficult for her own people.

For all her flaws, Lady Artemis was fiercely protective of her subordinates.

Turning back, Artemis studied Leticia with an icy gaze. "Vampire... What was your name?"

Her subordinate's antlers had been broken off. Anyone with eyes could guess where they had ended up.

Artemis wasn't stupid. She already knew what Leticia had hidden away.

And because of that, she finally began taking the vampire seriously.

Someone capable of fighting Lyra to a draw was exceptionally rare in the lower layers. Every one of them was a legendary Four-Digit standing just a hair's breadth away from becoming a Rule-Breaker.

Such people were worthy of being remembered.

Leticia looked at her in mild surprise. "Leticia... Leticia Draculea."

"...Draculea." Artemis frowned thoughtfully.

Soon, she recalled an old but famous piece of news.

"...The owner of Ophiuchus. The former Overall Floor Master. No wonder you managed to push Lyra that far."

Her mood improved a little.

At least, she hadn't lost to some nobody.

After giving Leticia one last glance, Artemis turned toward Ryo. Her expression remained cold as she extended her cuffed hands. "Don't get carried away just because you won. One day... I'll make you experience defeat too."

Ryo barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes.

'This woman... She's still this arrogant after losing. She really deserves another beating.'

Without another word, he pulled out a completely decorative pair of shackles and fastened them around her wrists. "Perfect. We can practice in your cell later."

Under the Divine War rules, battles followed a ransom system. Essentially the same custom used among medieval European nobles.

Which meant... Artemis would be spending some time as a guest in Arcadia's prison.

She understood that perfectly well. The only difference was that she used to be the one throwing people into prison. Now she was the one being escorted inside.

"Hmph."

She merely snorted and said nothing.

Ryo paid her no attention.

Turning his back, he waved casually. "Let's head back. I don't like the air here."

At those words, Leticia's eyes flickered briefly.

Without looking around, she simply nodded in understanding.

The group of five —Ryo, Leticia, Eunomia, Artemis, and Lyra— flew back toward Arcadia's encampment.

...

About ten minutes after they left, figures began emerging one after another from piles of sand and rocks nearby.

Some recognized each other and exchanged greetings before quickly departing.

Others remained where they were.

Holding recording scrolls, they carefully retraced every inch of the battlefield where Ryo and Artemis had fought.

Before long, lines of analysis appeared across the scrolls.

{Subject utilized only 70% of an unidentified power source to shatter the Moon Authority's barrier and neutralize Authority itself. Physical capabilities are exceptionally high. Subject is also surrounded by an unknown field capable of nullifying divine Authorities...}

{Overall Assessment: Subject is suspected to possess combat power sufficient to overwhelm a single rule-breaker Four-Digit. Recommended elimination force consists of three to five high-level combatants. Estimated success rate: 67.33%.}

_ _ _

While the spies busily compiled their reports, Ryo had already returned to Arcadia.

Together with Artemis, he arrived at the so-called underground prison.

Artemis looked around.

The prison stretched endlessly in every direction. Constructed entirely from white stone, the facility clearly employed advanced spatial expansion techniques.

Satisfied, she nodded. "The accommodations aren't bad. You've put some thought into this."

She turned back toward Ryo.

Only then did she notice he wasn't listening. Instead, he was quietly talking with Leticia.

"So you've already become a rule-breaker?"

"Mhm."

"And you actually hid that from me?"

"Aren't you one to talk? You kept shouting about using thirty percent... then fifty percent... Weren't you embarrassed?"

"Oh? So you've gotten cheeky? You know how hard it was keeping up that whole performance, and you're still making fun of me? Um... Oh, right. What happened to the antlers?"

"I soaked them in liquor. When it's ready, I'll give you some to replenish your vitality."

"...Do I look like someone who needs that?"

...

Watching them whisper back and forth, Artemis slowly frowned.

"What are you talking about?"

A performance? Putting on a show?

Those words...

Her expression darkened.

"Hm?" Ryo sensed her hostility and turned around. "You planning to fight again?"

"What did you mean just now?" Artemis asked in a low voice. "'Putting on a show?'"

Ryo blinked. "Oh. I meant exactly what I said."

He clapped his hands and casually looked around the underground chamber.

Then he smiled at Leticia. "You did a good job. Plenty of space. But... Can this place really contain a battle between rule-breakers without anyone noticing?"

"Lady Algol guaranteed it." Leticia lowered her head respectfully like a maid. "Unless it's one of the few specialists in observation... no one will detect what happens here. Everything inside will automatically revert to its original state at the designated time."

"I see." Ryo nodded in satisfaction. "Perfect."

He rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck.

Then he turned toward Artemis. A broad smile spread across his face.

"...What are you trying to do?" A chill crept into Artemis's heart.

A hidden battlefield... One capable of concealing combat between rule-breakers... Was he planning to...

As that possibility struck her, a silver longbow instantly appeared in her hand.

"Oh?" Ryo smiled even wider. "Looks like you're ready."

"Then let's begin. The real combat test."

The instant she saw that smile, every hair on Artemis's body stood on end.

Her entire Spirit Rank screamed in warning.

Acting purely on instinct, she forced herself to concentrate. Her bow drew tight.

She prepared to reverse cause and effect, ensuring her attack would land before it was ever fired.

Yet through her vision, which perceived the world at lightspeed, she could only barely make out a blur of gold hurtling toward her.

Then her head flew into the air.

Blood erupted like a crimson fountain.

Standing with his back to her falling head was Ryo. His body had grown noticeably larger.

Dense, powerful muscles bulged beneath his skin. A suit of translucent golden armor shimmered over his body.

As if he'd just confirmed something important, he let out a quiet sigh, "...Was this test ever meaningful in the first place?"

Hearing the complicated emotion in his voice, Artemis's eyes widened in disbelief.

Her severed head struck the floor with a heavy thud. Her lips trembled weakly.

"...You... ...lied..."

Clinging to that final thought, her vision faded into darkness.

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