Chapter 89: Akira: She is the Challenger

Akira added with a soft chuckle, "Of course, after Finn and I settle a few matters." Indeed, after recently sparring with Alise, Kaguya, and Ryuu—while refraining from using magic—Akira found himself slightly outmatched in terms of technique, especially compared to Kaguya and Ryuu. However, thanks to his monstrous physical capabilities, he remained virtually unmatched in pure combat strength. As Akira's power steadily climbed to greater heights, the rest of the Astraea Familia began to feel a growing sense of urgency. Their once-comfortable training sessions had evolved into rigorous battles, driven by a need to catch up. This newfound pressure became the crucible through which their abilities rose swiftly. Moreover, Akira's diverse arsenal of magic further sharpened their response instincts during training, pushing them to develop countermeasures and strategies against unpredictable magical threats. Each encounter with him became both a lesson and a trial by fire. Now, Akira's current status read as follows: Akira Level: 2 Strength: E421 → D531 Endurance: E425 → D512 Dexterity: D503 → C623 Agility: E489 → C609 Magic: B702 → S965 While his magic had surged explosively as always, his physical attributes had also grown stronger across the board. Yet now, without powerful new opponents to challenge him, his rate of growth had begun to slow—battles with common enemies could no longer push him further. "Yeah!" Ais nodded vigorously, her golden eyes gleaming. A duel with Akira wasn't just a challenge—it was an exhilarating promise. Akira handed her the bag of fried potato balls. As she accepted it with her right hand, he gently took hold of her left and asked with a smile, "Ais, could you guide me to Finn's office?" Munching happily on her favorite treat, Ais blinked at him in mild surprise, then smiled brightly, the warmth of his hand and the sweetness of the food melting any lingering hesitation she had. Her previously blank expression was replaced with a rare, tender happiness. Nodding without a word, she gripped his hand tightly and began walking, leading him through the winding halls of the Loki Familia castle. Along the way, they drew many curious glances—but neither of them paid the others any mind. After navigating a few corridors and several turns, Ais finally stopped in front of a sturdy, closed wooden door. Akira gently let go of her hand and gave the door a polite knock. A familiar and composed voice rang out from inside. "Come in." Pushing the door open, Akira stepped inside and greeted the trio with a relaxed wave. "Hey, long time no see—Captain Finn, Riveria-san, Uncle Gareth." "Well, if it isn't Akira. Been a few days, huh?" Finn chuckled, rising from his seat with a smile. Gareth quickly fetched two extra chairs and set them down, while Riveria calmly collected the scattered documents on the table and set them aside, all while nodding in acknowledgment. Ais and Akira took their seats. Reaching into the paper bag, Akira pulled out a crispy fried potato ball for himself, then offered the rest to the three veterans with a grin. "Here—you've got to try these. Which flavors do you want?" The trio exchanged knowing glances, then each selected one. Gareth, holding the bag with only a few left inside, was about to hand it back to Akira when— "No need." Akira said quickly, waving him off with a smile. "Uncle Gareth, you go ahead and finish them. I'm full after one." "You call that eating? How can a growing boy only eat one?" Gareth barked out a laugh and munched on another one without hesitation. "If you keep that up, you'll end up short like Finn here!" Finn rolled his eyes and sighed. "Eat too much, though, and you'll end up like that dwarf over there—solid as a boulder and twice as broad. All your good looks wasted." "Can we not turn everything into a debate about height or build?" Riveria interjected dryly. "Either way, Akira's still growing and he's an elf. If anything, he'll probably turn out more handsome than both of you combined." 'Although technically, I'm a demon.' Akira mused inwardly, suppressing a chuckle. Once the banter subsided, Finn crossed his arms and leaned forward slightly, adopting a more serious tone. "Alright, enough catching up. What brings you here today, Akira?" "You'll understand when you see it." Akira said. Standing up, he walked to a clear area near the table, reached into his [Backpack], and pulled out several bags filled with Kaensekis—the fire crystals that had been recently recovered. The other bags had already been given to Lyra, who planned to experiment with bomb-making. Before Finn and the others could process how Akira had seemingly pulled items out of thin air, they watched him untie one of the bags and expose the contents within—glimmering red stones that radiated a faint, unsettling heat. The trio stepped forward, recognizing the crystals instantly. Finn's expression tightened and he said, "You've got this many Kaensekis? You do realize piling them together like this is extremely dangerous, right?" "That's why I came to you." Akira replied seriously. "Evilus might be stockpiling them." He then presented Tsubaki's commission and recounted everything that had happened during his investigation on the 24th floor. As the crimson glow of the Kaensekis pulsed in the room, Finn stood silent, lost in thought. He carefully sifted through intelligence he had received in recent weeks, piecing together clues and trends regarding Evilus's movements. After a moment of contemplation, he finally said, "From what you're saying... it's highly probable this is their doing. I'll send someone to check if any unusual amounts of Kaensekis have been sold or transported recently." Riveria, who had been listening silently, pressed a hand to her forehead and let out a tired sigh. "A bunch of lunatics... I can already tell we're going to be swamped in the coming days. Who knows how much chaos this will cause?" Gareth grunted, crossing his arms. "If we don't act fast, they'll be turning these into explosives on par with high-tier magic. Gives me the chills just thinking about it." Once the discussion paused, Akira raised his hand slightly and spoke, "Riveria-san, I was thinking of heading to the training grounds for a duel with Ais. Would that be alright?" Though Akira had no official role as a leader or strategist, he understood where his strengths lay. Investigation and delegation were better left to experienced veterans. What he could do—what he must do—was take down the true villains in the darkness and protect those in need. Riveria blinked and said, "A duel? That's fine, but... Akira, you do realize Ais is Level 3, right?" Her question carried a trace of genuine concern, though it was subtle. At the same time, both Finn and Gareth turned their eyes toward Akira, their gazes filled with faint admiration. To face someone stronger than oneself—without hesitation—that was the mark of a true adventurer. "Don't worry." Akira answered calmly, the corners of his lips tugging into a confident smile. "I'm not as fragile as you think. Even if Ais goes all out, it won't be an issue." He glanced sideways at the golden-eyed girl who was now practically bouncing with anticipation. "In fact, I'm not the one challenging her." He added. "She's the one challenging me." "Hahaha, well said!" Finn clapped his hands, visibly impressed. "Riveria, let's watch how Morning Star—Orario's fastest-rising adventurer—performs." Akira looked toward Ais and smiled gently. "Shall we go?" "Yes!" Ais clenched her small fists, her eyes blazing with determination. "I'll definitely win!" (End of Chapter) Read 40 Advanced Chapters on patreon.com/astralicity