"No, you lose" as soon as she heard this whisper, Fiona thought it was the end, but something strange happened. Ryu, who left her neck, grabbed one of her kukris. There was suddenly a thick mist around them,
'What… is he.. doing?' Fiona was gripping to her consciousness with all of her willpower when Ryu suddenly pushed her on her shoulder, jumping back.
"What happened?" someone in the audience shouted.
"I can't see anything!?" another one said,
"Fiona…" Silvia, who was standing in the audience, was concerned for her leader as she knew this wasn't something Fiona could do,
The mist cleared slowly, and finally, the result of the contest was in front of everyone's eyes,
"Ehhhhh!?"
"Give my money back!?"
"Was this fixed?"
"We should've known when that child was taking the lead!!"
Ryu and Fiona both lay on the ground on their backs, and a kukri was on Ryu's chest while Fiona seemed to have pushed him and slipped on the ice herself.
"It… it is a tie…" the inn manager who had collected bets from everyone to make a profit was devastated.
"Fiona!!" Silvia rushed along with Flan
"Big brother…" walked towards Ryu, followed by Aiena, who was already chanting a healing miracle, but Rafa was confused.
'Ryu isn't hurt though,' she thought, but still didn't say anything out loud.
"Ryu, are you hurt anywhere?" Aiena asked in a voice filled with concern, but Ryu instead pointed toward Fiona,
"Heal her… first, Aiena," Ryu said, trying to sound as hurt as he possibly could.
"But Ryu…" Aiena said it was not that she didn't want to help Fiona, but for Aiena, her family comes first.
"I am fine!!" Ryu said in a somewhat loud voice as Aiena wouldn't listen, and everyone else, including Fiona's party, looked toward him.
"I mean…. I am fine... ahhh!!" hearing Ryu's voice, everyone shifted their attention back to Fiona, and the public began leaving disappointed. Aiena understood Ryu was just acting hurt, she moved to heal Fiona, and Jue, who was already aware of what happened, spoke in a timid, grateful voice,
"Thanks, big brother…."
"For what?" Ryu asked, trying to sound confused, but Jue just smiled and gave his hand to pull Ryu up; only when Ryu stood up properly without being hurt that Aiena take a sigh of relief even while healing Fiona,
Fiona, who was healing slowly, sat with much struggle as breathing for her was still stiff with coldness in her throat.
"Who are you?" she asked, breathing heavily as she looked straight at Ryu. Ryu walked over to her, crossing his arms pridefully with a grin as he spoke.
"I am Demon lord!!" for a second time, seemed to have stopped. Everyone's mouths were agape; Silvia stared at Ryu, and Flan had a wild smile. Even Aiena's expressions were crumpled; only Jue and Rafa were calm,
And Ryu added while shrugging his shoulders,
"Were you expecting such kind of dramatic answer? I am just Ryu, an adventurer, and leader of Fusion Souls, and I don't remember hitting you on the head."
'It wouldn't be hard to believe if this brat was serious!' Fiona remembered how different Ryu's voice sounded earlier. She also realizes her foolishness of having prejudiced Ryu's strength.
"Haha… you do get on my nerve!" smiled Fiona as she knew it wasn't an actual tie, but no way she was going to accept Ryu in front of her as superior.
'After all… he still is the same!! Considering a brat above me is like swallowing 1000 needles!!'
After Fiona was healed and everyone was well-rested. Fusion souls and Fiona's party moved out of town in the direction of the dungeon. They walked to a distance that was halfway from town to the dungeon.
"Let's stop and discuss the information and plans here," Ryu said as he stopped walking.
"I am fine with it," said Fiona. Although she was a bit dissatisfied, she accepted Ryu leading the team without any arguments or discussions. Silvia and Flan were surprised by Fiona's decision because, for them, the contest had tied,
"So, what made you think we can't defeat this dungeon alone?" Ryu asked with a curious expression, as this was the main reason why both parties had to collaborate,
"The dungeon has a high amount of Stabhearts and also Vitality dropping miasma," said Fiona as she pointed towards Aiena, Ryu who received the information, was confused as the content of their information differed vastly from what was written in the list provided by Faltar,
'wasn't this dungeon supposed to be a fire-based dungeon!? Something is wrong,' thought Ryu, because so far, there hasn't been a single error in the list given by Faltar,
"Stabhearts are one thing… it is vitality…" Silvia said in a low yet clear voice.
"It was hard running out carrying you… heh," said Flan as she remembered how Silvia got limp from the effects of Vitality dropping miasma,
"Please don't remind me of it…." Silvia pleaded as she sighed, remembering the incident.
"Aiena, will the song of Vitality work?" asked Ryu with a finger on his chin.
"It should work, but for that, I have to be in the center… otherwise the one who won't hear my voice would get weakened."
Ryu had a finger on his chin as he thought for a while and asked,
"How many Stabhearts come out at a time there?"
"There were like minimum two and maximum four at once," Fiona answered, and Jue spoke,
"Big brother, should I use Kukris too? It would be better to kill Stabhearts" his eyes were shining as he wanted to show his Kukris skills to Fiona, and Ryu nodded,
"That is fine, but make sure to wear your knuckles too, just in case,"
Fiona, who wanted to give her plan for a while, couldn't hold in and speak,
"I think we should form a pentagon surrounding Aiena; like I, Jue, be in front. Ryu and Flan in the middle on each side of Aiena and Silvia at the end so she can use her bow properly" she scribbled the formation on the floor,
Ryu rubbed his chin as he thought,
'Her formation isn't wrong, but….'
"I like the formation you drew… but I believe Jue and I should be together, and you and Flan should be together," said Ryu as he scribbled over what Fiona drew on the ground,
"But I made that formation considering a mage needs to be behind, and Flan's broad sword is too wide for Stabhearts." Fiona tried to reason,
"The thing is, you are not accounting for teamwork. We have great synergy with our team members. I can't tell if I can coordinate with Flan or not. The same must be true for you and Jue, right?" Ryu replied, but Jue added,
"Brother, I can fight together with Fiona Master. She and I have the same style for kukri. I only copied what she taught so we could do well together. "
'He really wants to impress her, huh,' thought Ryu and spoke,
"Jue, ya sure you'll be fine?"
"I will take care of him," said Fiona,
"Well then, that's fine," said Ryu as he yawned.
"Now, to the most important point of the plan," said Ryu with a glitter in his eyes,
"What, Ryu?" Aiena asked with a confused gaze, and everyone else focused their attention too.
"Where are we sleeping?" Ryu replied.
"How exactly is it related to planning!?" asked Fiona as she pulled a kukri out,
"Was it true that flat ches…" before Ryu could complete what he was saying, Fiona slashed kukri toward him, and Ryu irritatingly shouted,
"At least let me complete once!! Also, isn't our sleeping directly related to mission success if we are not well rested,"
"Kid has a point lead… want to accompany big sister for this night?" Flan said as she winked at Ryu.
'This woman is dangerous!! Will I be graduated this way!?' thought Ryu.
Rafa, who was standing beside Ryu, hugged him suddenly from back and stared daggers at Flan with a pout on her face as she said in a threatening voice,
"I will sleep with Ryu… Ryu promised tonight he would sleep with me."
Fiona, Silvia, and Flan looked at Ryu and Rafa suspiciously.
"I knew this brat was perverted, but…."
"I was wondering… wondering about inviting them to my home…. But there isn't a private room…." Silvia stuttered.
"I thought you were an untainted kid… but with those looks, it isn't a surprise," said Flan,
"You are thinking wrong, Master…." Jue spoke,
"Rafa big sister, leave me already. You are creating a misunderstanding!!" said Ryu as he tried to free his neck from her grip, but she just tightened it,
"I will not give Ryu!!" Rafa said, and Flan laughed,
"You don't need my company after all."
'And there goes my chance to step the stairs of adulthood with a gyaru-like person!!' Ryu sighed as he patted Rafa.
Fusion Souls stayed at Silvia's home that night, although there were only four rooms. Silvia's parents were kind enough to empty one whole room for Fusion souls despite it resulting in them sleeping with their kids in their room.