Funinna, please let me steal your heart!

It was as if the distance had been calculated precisely.

This is troublesome. Xia Worei muttered to herself, wondering where she got so much combat experience.

"Miss Chavoret, are you perhaps out of energy? Such an attack couldn't even mess me up. The so-called flame is a light that must be ignited with passion."

A whoosh—the flames ignited by the Greatsword of Hot Gara grew even brighter.

Luna lowered her body, spread her arms, and slashed down with her greatsword as if gliding through the air.

"Don't underestimate me!" Xia Worei pressed down with her spear, the spear clashing with the greatsword, the heavy force transmitted to her arm.

"I haven't underestimated Miss Chavory, but you seem a little distracted right now?"

"Don't be so self-righteous."

She brandished her spear, parrying Luna's twin sword attacks one after another.

Fire and water, greatsword and longsword, their elegant dance steps coalescing into an impenetrable array of sword techniques, faster and faster...

However, there are still opportunities to exploit!

Xia Wore lightly touched the ground with both feet and dodged with a neat backflip.

The sword grazed her chest.

With her feet firmly planted, Xia Worei turned around and kicked him.

The kick, accompanied by hot air and bursting flames, missed its target. A loud bang echoed all around, and the spreading gale stirred up dust from the scorched earth.

Xia Worei narrowed her eyes and looked at Luna, who was simultaneously unleashing a wind element kick.

"Don't you think we're pretty much on the same wavelength?" Luna laughed.

Xia Wore said nothing, but immediately went to meet her and approached her.

This distance is ideal for grappling and restraining opponents.

...But it would be a mistake to assume she would do that. She immediately drew her pistol and fired directly at Luna.

boom!

But the bullet missed its target.

Because Luna slapped the muzzle of her gun away with her palm just before she fired.

Bang! Another shot, but this time from Luna's pistol. It missed again, but not because Xia Worei did anything.

On the contrary—Xiawolei did nothing.

"As expected... you never intended to be serious, did you?" Xia Worei questioned.

"what do you mean?"

"You're just stalling for time so your companions can..."

Even if she stands still, Luna won't actually hit her.

Luna said softly, "They are not my companions."

It can't be either.

She gathered wind elements and kicked at Xia Worei. Xia Worei tried to block with both hands, but was still thrown back by the impact, sliding backward in front of her subordinates.

"Are you saying that the Phantom Thief White Cat was always alone?"

"Well...maybe there will be someone who will accept me?" Luna smiled.

I don't think so.

"How heartless! Is Miss Chavory angry with me now?"

"maybe."

Xia Worei pulled out her musket: "Use grenades!"

"Yes!"

The special patrol team members had already prepared grenades. At Xia Wore's command, more than a dozen grenades were launched into the air, tracing arcs as they fell. The successive explosions obscured Luna's figure.

When Luna's figure leaped into the air and reappeared before her eyes, Xia Wore was already ready.

She braced herself against the wall of the mansion, using the momentum to leap up and thrust out her spear.

The timing was perfect.

The angle is perfect.

There is no possibility of failure.

Despite the attack coming from behind, Luna suddenly accelerated, unleashing a burst of wind element, allowing her to dodge the blow with the lightness of a feather.

"Miss Captain should know that people who have come very close to death are especially sensitive to danger."

"And unfortunately, I am one of those people."

Luna pressed her legs down in mid-air as if she were standing on the ground.

Then he suddenly attacked Xia Worei!

"team leader!"

Knowing that she would have difficulty adjusting her posture in mid-air, Xia Wore could only choose to defend and take the blow from the phantom thief.

Then everything went black.

"Although I am not afraid of death, I do not want anything to happen to the captain."

The gentle fragrance is accompanied by warmth and softness.

Luna removed her hand from her eyes, and only then did Xia Wore realize that she had somehow returned to the ground and was being held by Luna.

".....Why?"

"what do you mean?"

"Why don't you give me the evidence? If you really have any expectations for the Special Patrol, then you shouldn't be doing this and obstructing us from carrying out justice."

Luna pinched Xia Worei's hair, then let go and stood up.

She smiled slightly: "Do I need a reason?"

"......"

Luna turned around and bowed slightly to everyone.

"That's about it. I had a great time tonight. I hope to see you all again someday. Goodnight and sweet dreams."

Then her figure transformed into a water bird and disappeared into the night sky in the blink of an eye.

Xia Wore watched her leave in silence, then looked at her own hands.

I really can't understand it.

She couldn't understand the phantom thief Shiroko's thoughts, couldn't figure out her rules of conduct, and couldn't fathom her bottom line, but she was very clear about one thing now.

I am not strong enough.

Enforcing justice requires strength, but her strength is insufficient to capture the "evil" phantom thief.

Whether it's investigating her criminal psychology or using force.

“People who have come very close to death are especially sensitive to danger”—had she almost died once? Xia Wore stood up and looked back at her companions.

"Captain, are you alright!?"

"Captain, you...you weren't attacked by the Phantom Thief, were you?"

Xia Worei smiled slightly: "No."

But undeniably, this time, they lost completely.

"...All personnel, back to base."

"Then, what about Alkien?" Tirena asked hurriedly.

“We have no reason or way to stay here any longer, after all, we are here to forcibly protect the ‘victims’.”

"Of course, the investigation must not be suspended for the time being... The most important evidence is now in the hands of the Phantom Thief White Cat, and there is nothing we can do except contact the Court of Justice for compensation."

Without evidence, a conviction cannot be made.

Order and justice are often discussed together, but sometimes they lose their balance. Xia Worei thought to herself, looking towards the mansion.

The criminals are there.

"But now we have to leave."

Tirena and the rest of her teammates looked toward the mansion.

“...Justice is really not easy to achieve,” Tirena said softly.

"It has always been this way."

.............................

Luna strolled along the riverbank, holding her notebook, lost in thought.

"Luna."

She stopped in her tracks.

The familiar voices behind her were those of her former family. She wasn't surprised, because she knew they would come looking for her.

Whether it was out of consideration for past relationships or because of the information she possessed.

"Luna!" Fimini exclaimed in surprise.

Lynette: "................."

Linni smiled and said, "Long time no see. You seem to be doing well. Your younger siblings miss you very much, Luna. 'Father' has no intention of executing you, which means—"

Luna didn't respond; instead, she tossed the notebook to Linnie.

He accepted it hastily, his face showing doubt.

"Luna, what's wrong with you...?"

Lynette looked at Luna's face, but the mask concealed her expression.