Chapter 83

The howling wind echoed through the pitch-black night sky, shrouding the world in darkness without a trace of light.

Inside an inconspicuous hill, bright lights filled the interior. Laughter echoed in this hopeless world.

Raising their glasses, everyone toasted to the arrival of the final battle.

The stage had been set, the actors were all in place, and the preparations were complete. Next, it was time for everyone to step onto the stage named the Battlefield of the Gods and perform the ultimate showdown.

Aqua drank her beverage joyfully, gulping down sip after sip. Tomorrow was the decisive battle, so there was no drinking alcohol tonight—only non-alcoholic drinks, and plenty of them!

As if she were drinking the finest sake, Aqua turned her back to the others and danced gracefully, her paper fan fluttering in her hand as she swirled amidst the waterlight. At this moment, she looked like a spirit of water, pure and beautiful.

"Flowers, birds, wind, and moon!"

Spinning around with a flourish, Aqua beamed as a small fountain spurted from the fan she had been waving.

She danced joyfully around everyone, laughing loudly, splashing water in celebration of her happy mood.

Satou Kazuma reached out to poke Hiroshi, speaking with regret, "Wouldn't it be great if Aqua couldn't speak?"

Recalling Aqua's elegant dance earlier, Hiroshi had to admit that when the Goddess of Wisdom wasn't speaking, she was indeed divine.

Hiroshi swatted away Kazuma's finger, resting his chin on his hand while watching the now even livelier gathering thanks to Aqua. He whispered to Kazuma, "Maybe you should stop talking so much. You're practically every girl's enemy right now."

Slumped over the table, Kazuma mumbled dejectedly, "It was all for the mission, you know. Honestly, I didn't want to do it either."

Lowering his hand, Hiroshi also leaned over the table. Noticing Kazuma's gaze fixed on Megumin, Hiroshi laughed softly and said, "Do you think I'd believe that? When we captured Jibril, Riku already explained it all in the chat."

"But you got carried away, boasting while holding her underwear, and then you blew yourself up. You really brought it upon yourself."

"Ah, one misstep brings regret for a thousand years."

Pressing his face against the cool stone table, Kazuma squinted, regretting his actions, before blurting out,

"But Jibril's underwear felt pretty good."

"You really don't know how to repent, do you?"

Lying on the table, Hiroshi rolled his eyes and gestured toward Megumin, who was secretly listening to them. He asked in a low voice, "What did Megumin say about it?"

"Hmph, my Megumin is very understanding. There's no way she'd hold it against me over a mission!"

Kazuma raised his voice a bit, turning to smile at the blushing Megumin.

Watching Megumin's ears perk up and then fold down at Kazuma's response, Hiroshi whispered, "I admire your bravery."

"Hmph, who do you think I am?"

Pridefully, Kazuma replied, then lowered his voice and asked, "Do we stand a chance tomorrow?"

Scratching his cheek, Hiroshi glanced at the closed room nearby. Inside, Riku was still going over every detail for tomorrow, making sure nothing went wrong.

"We've done all the prep we could. Now, we just have to go for it. I just hope Kuroneko doesn't kill me afterward."

Sighing, Hiroshi looked over at Kuroneko, who was watching Aqua perform alongside Klee. He whispered, "If all else fails, we'll just abandon the mission and take Riku and Schwi out of this world. We'll come back when we're stronger."

"It's so frustrating."

Kazuma muttered softly as he looked at the joyful crowd ahead. "I really want to become stronger—to be someone who can protect everyone."

"We can do this."

Shirou Emiya's voice came from beside them. He joined them, leaning over the table with a gleam in his eyes.

"Everyone saved my life and protected my dreams. So, we'll do it. We definitely can."

Looking at Shirou squeezing in, Hiroshi and Kazuma moved aside to make some space.

"Hey, hey, hey, count me in!"

Kamijou Touma joined them, leaning over the table like the others. Watching Aqua spinning around spraying water, he said, "If only the God of War, Arshute, were like this too."

"Yeah," x3

"Pfft, hahaha," x4

They laughed heartily, glancing at each other before looking back at Aqua's joyful performance.

"Let's give it our all tomorrow."

Klee tugged at Kuroneko's hand, curiously turning to look at the four men lined up on the table behind them. "Sister Kuroneko, are Brother Hiroshi and the others playing some kind of game?"

Looking back at the laughing four, Kuroneko gently patted Klee's little head and smiled, "This must be what they call a bond between men."

"Can Klee join too?"

Excitedly, Klee smiled and said, "It looks like so much fun!"

"No way~"

Lumine swooped in, scooping Klee into her arms. She nuzzled Klee's cheek and said contentedly, "Klee is an adorable girl. Stay out of weird bonds like that, or you'll become an idiot!"

"An idiot?"

Klee tilted her head curiously, sitting on Lumine's lap as she asked, "Why?"

"Why, indeed~"

Resting her chin on Klee's head, Lumine looked at the dim light on the wall nearby and said with a smile, "Because men are idiots~"

"Lumine."

Kuroneko gently pulled on Lumine's hands, noticing the longing in her eyes. She said softly, "You will find your brother. Don't worry; we'll all help you."

"Lumine, after we get back, I'll put out a missing person notice for your brother in Liyue."

Beside Lumine, Keqing also held her hand, comforting her.

"I'll help too. Leave it to me!"

Megumin cheerfully added her hand to the stack, smiling at Lumine.

"Hm?"

Klee tilted her head, looking at the four hands stacked before her. Suddenly realizing something, she exclaimed,

"Heave-ho!"

Stretching out her tiny hand to grab onto the pile, Klee laughed joyfully.

"Klee gets it now—this is the friendship between girls, right?"

"Though I still don't quite get why. Lumine, can you explain it to Klee?"

Looking at Klee's small hand, Lumine smiled and pulled her into a hug.

"It's for those idiots."

Elsewhere, Infinity and Vanir sat together.

They each raised a teacup, toasted, and drank their tea with a smile. Nearby, Luo Xiaohei carefully refilled their cups.

Patting Xiaohei on the head, Infinity said softly, "Xiaohei, Master doesn't need you to serve here. Go join the others at the gathering."

Xiaohei shook his head, holding up a smiling face. "Today, I want to stay by Master."

"Alright."

Infinity nodded slightly, taking another sip of his tea with a light smile.

"Xiaohei is such a good disciple."

Watching Xiaohei at Infinity's side, Vanir smiled gently and rested his cheek in his hand, looking over at Klee laughing joyfully. "My little disciple isn't quite as attached to me."

Setting down his teacup, Infinity glanced at Vanir, whose lips curled into a soft smile, and chuckled, "It seems you like your little disciple quite a bit."

Images of Klee bursting into his room holding a giant spellbook, declaring her intention to become his disciple, flashed through Vanir's mind, and the gentle smile on his face deepened.

"Infinity, I think we'll win tomorrow."

"Yes, I think so too."