"So... what does the letter say?"
Standing beside Ryo, Leticia leaned over curiously.
With a rather peculiar expression, Ryo flicked the envelope with his finger.
Fresh words immediately appeared across the paper: {Fight me. When the Moon and Stars intersect with Little Garden's mainland tomorrow. Barren Plains.}
Ryo nodded in satisfaction.
Now that looked like a proper message.
Thinking so, he handed the envelope to Leticia.
After reading it, her expression darkened. "Ryo... are you going to accept?"
"What else would I do?" Ryo shook his head. "Artemis isn't the type to calm down that easily."
"Artemis actually challenged you on her own?" Across from them, Eunomia frowned suspiciously. "When I heard she'd volunteered to participate in the Divine War, I assumed Zeus had forced her into it. But judging from this... she's doing it because of you."
She tilted her head. "That's strange, though. From what I know of Artemis, even if the two of you had a conflict, she wouldn't normally keep chasing someone this relentlessly. What exactly did you do to offend her?"
"..."
"You're not high enough in the community to be asking those questions." Ryo shot her a look.
Eunomia snorted. "Sounds like you're the one who was in the wrong."
But Ryo immediately protested. "Apollo once said that when people stand on different sides, judging right and wrong without considering their positions is just sophistry."
He paused before adding, "I actually think that's a pretty reasonable statement."
Eunomia folded her arms and laughed. "Apollo only said that because he thought you were handsome."
"..."
Ryo's expression instantly became rather complicated.
A moment later, Leticia sighed before handing the letter back to Ryo. "So? Are you accepting?"
"Of course." Taking back the envelope, Ryo grinned.
Since arriving in Little Garden, he hadn't had many opportunities to fight.
Even now, he wasn't entirely sure where he stood among the strongest.
Now Artemis had practically volunteered to be his sparring partner. If he didn't take advantage of such a free opportunity, he'd be an idiot.
"But the enemy is the Goddess of the Hunt..." There was unmistakable affection in Leticia's voice.
She knew Artemis far better than Ryo did. She knew exactly how troublesome the divine beasts that accompanied the huntress goddess were.
If Ryo wanted to test himself against Artemis, then she'd clear away every unnecessary obstacle for him.
"You're coming with me?" Ryo blinked in surprise.
A second later, realization hit him. His face lit up.
The gap between ordinary Four-Digit and Limit-Breaker Four-Digit was enormous.
Ryo didn't believe a veteran like Leticia would make a reckless decision. If she intended to join a battle against Artemis, then there was only one possibility.
She had to be on the brink of taking that final step. At long last, the benefits she'd obtained from Strike the Blood were about to pay off.
Leticia raised her hand, opening and closing her fingers as if trying to grasp something invisible.
"I'm not entirely sure." She smiled softly. "But... I think I'm almost there."
"Excellent." Ryo clapped his hands happily. "Then after I beat up Artemis, you can beat her up again."
The moment those words left his mouth, Leticia burst into helpless laughter. "I thought you came here to make peace with her, Leader."
"She already shoved a challenge letter in my face." Ryo rolled his eyes. "What's left to negotiate?"
He grinned. "We'll beat her first, then we'll talk."
Eunomia stared at the pair in utter disbelief.
Are these two serious? That was Artemis.
"You... really intend to do this?" Eunomia hesitated before adding, "The battlefield on Mars isn't like the restricted mainland of Little Garden. Out there, limit-breakers can fight at full strength. And from what I know about Artemis, if you can't completely defeat her, her hunting legion will pursue you forever. They won't stop until the hunt succeeds."
"Isn't that even better?" Ryo rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "A whole bunch of free Four-Digit punching bags that never give up? Perfect for testing every trick I've got."
Eunomia's mouth twitched.
She turned toward Leticia. "Are you sure your leader came here to reconcile with Artemis?"
"Umm.." Leticia smiled helplessly. "Ryo is still a child. Isn't it normal for him to choose his words poorly?"
"...That statement has so many things wrong with it." Eunomia rubbed her forehead.
"But compared to our ages..." She glanced at Ryo, "...he really is just a child."
Twenty-something years old. Already a Four-Digit Limit-Breaker.
Then she thought about herself.
She'd lived for thousands of years and still wasn't there.
The comparison stabbed straight through her heart.
Still, as Hera's newly appointed liaison to Arcadia, she couldn't help trying one more time. "With Artemis's personality, she'll probably face you personally tomorrow, accompanied by her divine beast legion. And those beasts are manifestations of her own Authorities. Which means she'll be perfectly justified in surrounding and attacking you."
"And while you're occupied..." She looked straight at Ryo. "...you know exactly what happens when an archer like Artemis has all the time in the world."
"So..."
Eunomia hesitated. She genuinely worried Ryo wouldn't survive Greece's version of "righteous teamwork," but she didn't know how else to persuade him.
Yes, he'd once fought Zeus to a draw.
But everyone in the upper layers of Little Garden had seen that battle.
The common opinion was that Ryo had only managed it because of the lower layers' restrictions, his deadly poison and sneak attack.
None of those advantages would exist on Mars.
"So it's one against many?" Instead of concern, Ryo's eyes sparkled with anticipation. "That sounds even better!"
"...He didn't hear a single word I said." Eunomia grabbed a fistful of her hair in frustration. "I talked for all that time, and it accomplished absolutely nothing."
She'd been wrong.
She'd thought Ryo was a wise man. Someone who looked reckless on the surface but was actually a cool-headed strategist underneath.
Now she finally understood. This man was simply a battle maniac.
Staring at Ryo with vacant eyes, Eunomia sighed. "Anyway... If you realize you can't hold out tomorrow, just mention Hera's name. I've already sent Artemis a copy of the agreement between you and Hera. I'm sure she'll know what to do."
"You talk too much." Ryo shot her a sideways glance.
'Hmph! Once you're on your knees, begging for mercy... We'll see who's talking too much!'
Eunomia glared back indignantly, secretly looking forward to proving herself right.
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