"No need for more words. I know exactly what I'm doing and what's most important to me."
Ryou remained unfazed, launching another attack, which was again temporarily blocked by the black shield of light that appeared out of thin air.
"This time, it seems I made a mistake," Sakura said calmly.
"If I want to escape today, I'll have to pay a price."
Ryou suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of danger as she spoke those words.
"Watch out above!"
Jeanne shouted, clearly receiving a warning from Revelation skill.
"Retreat!"
Ryou gritted his teeth and chose to fall back.
In perfect sync, the three of them swiftly retreated.
Just as they exited the room, an enormous hand descended from the sky, smashing the roof to pieces. The force continued downward, striking the spot they had just vacated like a hand crushing ants.
"Fused Colony!"
Indeed, what appeared before them was a massive creature composed of countless Kabane and their corpses—the Fused Colony. And not just one, but three of them!
By now, Fukushima had turned into a living hell, with hordes of Kabane rampaging through the city. The three Fused Colony, under the queen's command, eyed Ryou and his companions menacingly.
From the rubble, Sakura emerged.
A pair of purple wings of light had sprouted from her back, allowing her to hover in the air. She gazed down at him and his group from above.
Sakura glanced at Jeanne and Ais, before turning her gaze to Ryou.
"This time, it seems I miscalculated. It appears these two are the ones you value most, Purifier. So, the strongest point is also the weakest. I've learned something today."
"Well then, I shall await the three of you at Buckingham Palace."
With that, Sakura gracefully lifted the hem of her dress mid-air, performed a curtsy, and flew away.
Ryou coldly watched her retreat, his hand gripping his katana so tightly that veins bulged. But in the end, he did nothing to stop her, allowing her to leave.
The reason was simple: only two of the three of them could fly. If one had to carry Jeanne, it would slow them down, creating a brief 1v1 situation.
Even in a 1v3, Sakura had proven herself formidable. A 1v1 would be even more dangerous, and Ryou couldn't take that risk.
If two chased her while the other stayed behind, that person would face the three Fused Colony alone—another risk he wasn't willing to take.
If he were alone, he might've taken the gamble.
But with Jeanne and Ais beside him, Ryou wasn't willing to chance it.
Sakura was right: the strongest point is also the weakest.
Ryou had concerns, and because of that, he had no choice but to let her escape for now.
However, she would only escape like this once.
It was clear that everything she had set up was on that nation across the sea from France.
Next time, she'd have nowhere to run.
Though they had repelled a powerful enemy, Jeanne still looked worried.
Ryou, of course, knew what she was concerned about.
Jeanne was worried about Ayame.
Even though the system had assigned Ryou the identity of Kenshou Yomogawa, he had kept his distance from Ayame.
Instead, after leaving Ayame in Jeanne's care, Jeanne had grown closer to her.
Jeanne, with her strong maternal instincts, had truly started raising Ayame as her daughter.
Ryou patted Jeanne's shoulder reassuringly.
"Don't worry. We'll get her back."
"But…"
Jeanne hesitated.
"If Amatori Biba harms her, I'll kill all every last of them," Ryou said casually.
A chilling aura of killing intent suddenly began to radiate from him.
Jeanne felt coldness seep into her limbs. She instinctively wanted to stop him but felt a tug on her sleeve.
Startled, she turned to see Ais shaking her head.
It was only then Jeanne noticed the overwhelming killing intent practically oozing from Ryou.
Jeanne sighed. In this state, Ryou was unstoppable by anyone, except perhaps Scathach.
Unfortunately, Scathach particularly admired Ryou's bloodthirsty, ruthless side.
An eye for an eye, blood for blood.
"Let's go," Ryou's cold voice called out.
Jeanne instinctively glanced at the Fused Colony still rampaging through the city.
Ryou didn't bother looking back, let alone dealing with them.
Jeanne bit her lip before suddenly speaking up.
"Ryou, I want to stay behind."
Ryou whipped his head around, locking eyes with Jeanne.
She met his gaze without flinching.
Seeing the determination in Jeanne's eyes, Ryou sighed in resignation and turned to Ais.
"Ais, stay behind as well. Once you've dealt with the situation, catch up with us."
With that, Ryou raised his hand, inscribing the primordial runes of Flight, Wind, and Acceleration onto himself.
Just as he was about to take off, Jeanne's voice, filled with guilt and gratitude, came from behind him.
"I'm sorry. And thank you, Ryou."
A small smile crept onto Ryou's face.
"Give me a kiss, and I'll forgive you."
"Huh? Huh?!"
Jeanne's eyes widened in shock.
Ryou, however, continued to talk nonsense with a straight face.
"If you're going to apologize and thank me, then a kiss is a pretty cheap price to pay."
Seeing the smug look on his face, as if saying, "You're getting a bargain," Jeanne couldn't help but feel both exasperated and amused.
She walked up to him, stood on her toes, and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.
"Is that good enough?"
A light blush spread across Jeanne's face.
"You're treating me like a child. That's not a real kiss!"
Ryou suddenly grabbed Jeanne by the waist, pulling her tightly against him, and then kissed her passionately.
The sound of lips moving filled the air. Jeanne's blush spread down her neck.
Meanwhile, Ais quietly pulled out a cookie, chewing on it as she watched the scene unfold.
This cookie is delicious!
After a long moment, Ryou finally released Jeanne.
Her face was now so red it looked like it could boil water, and her eyes had turned into two swirling spirals.
He glanced at her with amusement before turning to Ais, who had been calmly observing the whole time.
"I'm heading out first. You two, be careful."
Ais gave a stoic nod in response.
Whoosh!
A gust of wind suddenly kicked up as he shot into the sky.
With several primordial runes enhancing him, his speed reached nearly 300 kilometers per hour, almost matching that of a modern high-speed train.
"What a terrifying woman."
As Ryou Lóng flew through the air, the cold wind rushed against his face, cooling his thoughts. He prided himself on his intelligence, often using his foresight and higher intellect to exploit the gaps in others' knowledge. But this time, the tables had turned—he'd been outmaneuvered.
It was a first.
This realization made him more vigilant. No matter how clever he thought he was, he knew he couldn't match those with wisdom that transcended human comprehension. Being familiar with the story meant nothing. Only raw strength could truly shatter all constraints.
Though brute force had freed him from this trap, it was clear the enemy had already won this round.
Ryou was almost certain that upon returning to Yokosuka, he'd find the naval port in ruins. Ayame had likely been kidnapped. He had made his priorities clear: he wouldn't risk his safety or that of his companions for Ayame.
Ayame was important, but not as much as Ais, Jeanne, or even Yamato and Shimakaze, who were part of his daily life. Knowing this, the enemy probably saw Ayame as less valuable now, and her life might be in danger.
Still, as Ryou had vowed, if the enemy harmed her, all of the people involved would die.
It wasn't about defeat or discouragement—he was far too resilient for that. Scathach had put him through Spartan-like training, and Sasaki Kojiro had killed him over a million times. His heart and will were as tough as steel. If he couldn't endure a setback like this, he'd never reach the pinnacle.
As he flew, Ryou reflected on the events and began piecing together the truth.
The enemy had been plotting against him for a long time. Figures like Wu Zetian, George Washington, and Ivan the Terrible were likely just pawns used to test him. Step by step, they had analyzed his personality, habits, and behavior, setting a trap in which every move he made only ensnared him further.
The alliance between Sakura and Amatori Biba was crucial. Biba, scarred both physically and mentally by his father's betrayal, had been offered the chance to personally kill him—a proposal he couldn't resist.
In the original story, Amatori Biba's obsession with patricide led him to reckless decisions. Instead of cautiously plotting, he had chosen the most direct and dangerous path to get close to his father, Okimasa Amatori, and strike the fatal blow.
Sakura had skillfully manipulated this obsession and enlisted Ryou's father-in-law, Makino Masamune, as an insider. Together, they crafted an illusion, hiding the Shogun's assassination and feeding him false information that made him believe the battle between father and son was still ongoing. Thinking they were preoccupied, Ryou had seen an opportunity to head north and kill Sakura.
At the same time, Biba's army had launched a fierce assault on Kongoukaku, creating the illusion that the fight was still raging. Sakura had predicted that Ryou would only bring a small, elite group—himself, Jeanne, and Ais—for a swift, decisive strike.
And she had been right.
Yokosuka's defenses, designed by Ryou himself, were nearly impenetrable without heavy artillery and an army of 200,000. Sakura, knowing this, had chosen to infiltrate the port with a small force by night, exploiting gaps in the patrols caused by Ryou's need to conserve fuel.
If even one of them—Ryou, Jeanne, or Ais—had stayed behind, her plan would have failed. But their departure had opened the door for Biba's forces to sneak in.
Every step Ryou had taken played into her hands. Her timing had been flawless.
Ryou had lost, but not without learning a valuable lesson.
Two hours earlier, four to five kilometers from Yokosuka, a group of identical, dilapidated wooden houses stood abandoned. The area had once been bustling with civilians, but after Ryou had relocated much of the population to Taiwan, Yokosuka had reverted to being a military port.
Inside one of the houses, faint voices could be heard.
"Young Master, everything is ready," a middle-aged man with a stern face and a small braid said to a fiery-haired young man.
This was Sahari, the right-hand man of Amatori Biba, who stood beside him.
"Good," Biba said, his eyes flashing with determination.
"This time, we'll show those rebels that this land belongs to us."
"Yes!" the soldiers around them responded in unison.
Sahari hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Young Master, must you personally take such a risk?"
Biba patted him on the shoulder.
"I appreciate your concern, but if I, as your leader, don't lead the charge, how can I expect you to follow me into battle?"
"Young Master!"
The soldiers were visibly moved, their morale soaring.
Biba glanced around, suddenly asking, "Where's Mumei?"
"I had her upstairs preparing. She has a critical mission later," Sahari replied, his tone indifferent, as if discussing a tool rather than a person.