Chapter 149

"You..."

Hiroshi rubbed the small red mark on his neck and flicked Klee's forehead. "Where did you learn that from?"

"Hehehe!" Klee placed her hands on her hips, proudly declaring, "Hifumi taught me that from anime! Didn't I do well?"

Scratching his head, Hiroshi sighed, "Why learn that of all things? Next time, don't do that, alright?"

"Hehe," Klee said, hugging Hiroshi's neck, "Well, Brother Hiroshi, you were teasing me about being shy..."

Hiroshi laughed, patting Klee on the head before putting her down. Pointing towards Megumin, who was inspecting Osial, he said, "Alright, alright, it's my fault. Now go help your sister Keqing get her revenge."

"Okay!"

Klee nodded vigorously, raising her small fist, exclaiming, "I'll use my strongest Jumpy Dumpty bomb!"

Bouncing with excitement, Klee ran towards Megumin, beaming. "Megumin, I'm here!"

"Oh!" Megumin waved her staff, happily giving Klee a thumbs-up. She said excitedly, "Good timing! Let our ultimate magic shine once more over this world. The divine punishment from above will surely make this evil god realize its mistake!"

"Yes!" Klee raised her little hand high and shouted, "We'll make sure it knows it's wrong!"

"To know one's mistakes and correct them is to be a good child!"

"Uh..." Megumin glanced up at Osial, suspended in the air. "Not sure this one counts as a child though."

"Never mind that," she continued, "Let's wait for Ruri to join us, then we can start!"

"Kukuku!"

"[Fallen Angel Ruri] descends!"

A black streak of light flew from Liyue Harbor and landed on the ground. Gothically dressed, Kuroneko (Ruri Gokou) appeared on the Jade Chamber, holding a paper fan partially covering her face.

Her mismatched eyes—one grayish-blue, one bright red—glared at Osial. Ruri sneered, "An insignificant Vortex God dares to stand in my way. I, [Fallen Angel Ruri], will make you realize just how grievous your mistake is."

Snap!

Ruri closed her paper fan with a sharp flick, her eyes glimmering with a bewitching red light. Raising her fan, she declared, "Evil god, fall into my abyss of darkness!"

Deep blackness rose from the earth, engulfing the sky until everything was shrouded in darkness.

Standing tall in the air, Ruri, an excited Megumin, and a confused Klee gathered together.

Megumin extended her hand to the center. "Ready!"

Snap!

Without hesitation, Ruri placed her hand on Megumin's, and then turned to smile gently at the puzzled Klee. "Klee, put your hand on ours."

"Ah! It's Ruri-sis!"

Klee extended her small hand, placing it atop theirs. She said excitedly, "Ruri-sis suddenly seemed like Fischl, so I almost didn't recognize you!"

"This is my other side, you see." Ruri smiled, patting Klee's head, her voice gentle. "Wasn't it surprising?"

"Yes!" Klee nodded earnestly, her big eyes sparkling. "I think Ruri-sis was amazing just now! Will you teach me that someday?"

"Of course." Turning to face Osial, Ruri said seriously, "But in the future, you'll have to address my fallen mode as 'Lady Ruri.'"

"Alright, Lady Ruri!"

Kazuma Satou leaned against Hiroshi's shoulder, pointing towards the suddenly chuuni Ruri and whispered, "Hiroshi, what's up with your Ruri? Isn't it a while since she's been this chuuni?"

"Uh..."

A smile formed on Hiroshi's face, mixed with nostalgia and amusement. "It's probably because the summer convention is coming up soon. Ruri has been hoping I'd go with her, so she's getting back into her [Fallen Angel Ruri] groove."

He added, "Also, ever since the storm clouds covered Liyue, Ruri's been excited. From my experience watching anime with her, this scene fits perfectly with a climactic battle scene from her favorite show, 'Maschera: Lament of the Fallen Beast.'"

"It's been a long time since I've seen her in her [Fallen Angel Ruri] form. Ever since we got together, Ruri hasn't been this chuuni. It's kind of nostalgic, really."

Taking out an HD video camera, Hiroshi said happily, "Record this! Record this! This footage of Ruri is precious. When we have kids, we'll show it to them."

"Oh!" Kazuma's eyes lit up. He leaned closer to Hiroshi, saying quickly, "Hiroshi, give me a camera too. I'm gonna record Megumin! Showing this to my future kids sounds like a great idea! You're a genius, Hiroshi!"

Riku watched the two dorks filming from the edge of the Jade Chamber and couldn't help but gulp. He then looked at Shiro, who seemed eager. "Shiro, that's a god-level opponent up there. A divine entity! How about you join Ruri and the others?"

"Riku..."

Shiro's amber eyes looked up at him, her ears slightly reddening. With a blush, she spoke softly, "Since it's Riku's wish, Shiro will do it. But..."

She held onto Riku's sleeve and looked at him earnestly. "Just this once, okay, Riku? Shiro's very shy."

"Of course!" Riku nodded vigorously, raising his hand. "I swear by the Covenant! Just this once!"

"Alright, then Shiro will go."

Watching Shiro fly to join Ruri and the others, Riku quickly squeezed between Hiroshi and Kazuma, shouting excitedly, "Hiroshi! Hiroshi! Give me a camera too! I can't miss recording Shiro's precious moment!"

Standing behind the three idiots gleefully filming, Kamijou Touma and Shirou Emiya exchanged glances.

"Why do I feel like we're the villains here?"

"I have the same feeling..."

"And..."

Touma looked down at Riku, who was squatting with a camera. "Didn't Riku say in the group chat that he wouldn't make Shiro do embarrassing things anymore...?"

"Feels like everyone's been acting weird ever since they got girlfriends." Shirou nodded in agreement. "Good thing I only have a sister. Also lucky that neither of us has much luck with women, right, Touma?"

"Exactly!"

Infinite held Luo Xiaohei's hand, giving Kamijou Touma and Shirou Emiya an odd look. "What are they even talking about?"

In the darkened sky, Kuroneko, Megumin, Klee, and Shiro each stood at one point of a four-cornered formation.

Holding her staff high, Megumin shouted excitedly, "Ready?!"

"Ready!"

"Yes!"

"Mm..."

"Then let the celebration begin!!!"