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Chapter 124, 123: A Mortal Body; Gu Yuan VS Liu

Are you kidding me?! The goddess Astraea actually agreed so hastily?

Even though he might be from the Far East, and even though his identity might be special like Kaguya's, he's still a man!

There has never been such a precedent.

Ryu felt a strong sense of unease and confusion. His icy blue eyes were fixed on the goddess's gentle smile, trying to find a trace of a joke in it.

But she failed.

The goddess's expression remained as gentle as ever, yet it carried an undeniable certainty.

Liu spoke impatiently, her usually cool voice carrying an unusual urgency:

"Goddess Astraea, are you sure you're not joking? We don't even know who he is, and you're just allowing him to join us like this?"

"Does he possess a true heart of justice? Can he wholeheartedly uphold his belief in punishing the wicked and protecting the weak? Not to mention his strength." Liu's gaze swept over Gu Yuan, who was sitting quietly to the side. His aura was calm and unfathomable. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "He may have the means to defeat us, but the battle between clans is not just about strength."

"Besides, he's a man after all. Alexie, you're the captain; shouldn't you have the right to refuse such an illogical joining?"

"Well, this—"

Suddenly being called out, Alexandra felt as if she had been thrust into the spotlight, and she scratched her bright red hair in annoyance.

As the leader of the group, she certainly had the right to refuse, but this was the goddess's decree, and she had absolute trust in the goddess deep in her heart.

Moreover, the other party doesn't seem like a bad person?

Alexie secretly glanced at Gu Yuan, who simply looked back calmly, his eyes clear, without the slightest hint of evasion or malice, which reassured her a little.

In addition, the goddess also mentioned that the other party does not live with them in the Star Court, and the biggest security issue seems to have been resolved.

Astraea noticed Ryu's anxiety, smiled gently, and her voice, like a spring breeze, soothed the slightly tense air:

"Relax, Leon. I know your worries. It all stems from your sense of responsibility towards your companions and clan, which is a precious quality of yours."

"However, as I just emphasized, this gentleman will be an unofficial staff member."

"And the reason I agree is because my 'eyes' tell me that he is not lying; his desire to eradicate evil is real and fervent."

"On the path to justice, gender is not a shackle; the heart is the measure."

"In fact, due to the relentless harassment and provocations from the dark faction recently, I can sense that your weariness is deepening day by day."

"At this time, the arrival of a strong and reliable helper may lighten your burden and allow you to catch your breath." "I'm not tired!" Ryu retorted almost subconsciously, straightening her back.

But the slight pause, the evasive look in her eyes, and the dark circles under her eyes that were hard to completely hide made her protest seem weak and powerless.

Astraea smiled knowingly, not exposing the elven girl's bravado, and then turned her gaze to Alicia:

"Alicie, what are your thoughts? As the leader, your opinion is crucial."

Alexandra took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind: "Yes! If it's just an adjunct position and I can get your guarantee, then I have no objection."

"I remember that the Ganesha Familia and the Demeter Familia also had many unofficial members assisting with the work."

She paused, then looked at Gu Yuan curiously, trying to lighten the mood:

"So, shall we start the next test now? Or should we wait for the others to come back and take a look together?"

"Oh, right, after all this time, I still don't know this gentleman's name? Are you really from the Far East?"

If he's from the Far East, he might have a lot in common with Kaguya, which could ease the tension.

Seeing that the topic had turned to him, Gu Yuan hesitated for a moment before giving a vague but not entirely false answer:

"I guess so, but I wasn't born in that land."

Far East is the location of the DanMachi world, ruled by the goddess Amaterasu. He wouldn't forget his roots just to get closer to her.

Alexie blinked, instinctively interpreting Gu Yuan as a foreigner with Far Eastern blood, and this explanation seemed plausible.

Seeing that Gu Yuan didn't seem to be ready to start the test immediately and appeared to be willing to wait, Alexie comforted Liu, who was still a little tense, and sat down on the sofa not far away.

A subtle silence fell over the living room, with only the gentle breeze from outside the window.

About twenty minutes later, accompanied by slightly hurried footsteps, the entrance door was pushed open again.

The first to return was Kaguya Gojou, a former noblewoman from the Far East, now an Iv4 adventurer, the vice-captain of the Astrea Familia, and known as "Gentian of the Far East".

Dressed in a smart yet elegant kimono, she stepped into the hall and her gaze immediately locked onto the unfamiliar man in the living room.

She paused slightly, then quickly walked up to Gu Yuan, openly scrutinizing him with a hint of inquiry in her eyes—

Some kind of expectation?

But soon, that expectation faded, and as if she had confirmed something, she let out a slightly disappointed "shout".

I didn't recognize him at all; I thought he might be someone from my hometown.

"Kaguya, you're back. Staring at the guests like that isn't very polite."

The goddess Astraea gently reminded her.

"Excuse me."

Upon hearing this, Kaguya immediately resumed her dignified Yamato Nadeshiko demeanor, bowed slightly, and walked to sit down in the empty seat next to Alisha with impeccable manners.

Despite her restrained demeanor, she still kept glancing at the sword Gu Yuan carried with him, her fingers tapping lightly on her knees, as if suppressing some kind of urge to test the blade.

Is he a swordsman?

After a while, the rest of the team members also returned to headquarters one after another.

Lyra, a member of the Lilliputian race, sat on the sofa, fiddling with a dagger while staring at Gu Yuan, letting out a barely perceptible hum.

The unpleasant aura, that refined temperament gave her a feeling similar to that of "Hero" Finn. She was pursuing Finn; one hero was enough.

The orc "Niz Runkert" sniffed, her keen sense of smell seemingly detecting some strange, non-human scent on Gu Yuan.

Amazon | Ishka Bra made no attempt to hide her curiosity.

As everyone used their eyes and whispers to assess the situation and speculate on what would happen next.

The goddess Astraea stood up.

She clapped her hands lightly, the crisp sound drawing everyone's attention, and a gentle aura filled the air:

"Alright, everyone, everyone's here."

Her gaze swept over her children one by one, her eyes filled with satisfaction. "First of all, I sincerely thank each and every one of you for your efforts and hard work for the peace and justice of Orario."

After a brief pause, she steered the conversation back to the main topic:

"Now, let's talk about this Mr. Gu Yuan."

"As you can see, he hopes to join us as an unofficial member to uphold justice together."

"Alice, as the leader, has given preliminary approval. Next, a test is needed to confirm his strength and determination."

"Who among you is willing to be his opponent?"

"Me!" 3.

As soon as he finished speaking, almost three hands were raised at the same time.

From left to right, they are Ryu Ryo with a serious expression, Kaguya Gojou with fighting spirit burning in her eyes, and Layla, who is somewhat unwilling but driven by her competitive spirit.

Ryu felt a sense of satisfaction when he saw Kaguya raise her hand as well.

Kaguya's lips curled into a faint, swordsman-like smile:

"Since he is someone connected to the Far East, it is both reasonable and logical for me, a person from the Far East, to be the most suitable person to conduct the test."

"My Goddess, you probably don't have any objections, do you?"

Goddess Astraea gently shook her head: "Kaguya, I understand how you feel, but you are Iv4, and more importantly, the vice-captain."

"Such a test is unfair to someone who has not yet received 'divine grace' and has no social standing."

"Ryu, come here." The goddess made her decision.

"Me?" Liu was stunned for a moment before she finally gleaned the key information from the goddess's words—"No level"?

Does this mean that the man in front of me is still a mortal?

How dare you challenge the clan based on this alone?

Upon hearing this, the others also showed expressions of surprise, and their gazes toward Gu Yuan became even more inquisitive.

Ryu took a deep breath and accepted the instruction: "I understand."

"So, what are the rules? Can we use weapons? He seems to be a swordsman, and I don't want to take advantage of him in terms of strength."

She looked at Gu Yuan and proposed a swordsmanship contest.

This is the best way to demonstrate skill rather than pure physical ability, and it is fairer to the other party who has not done any favor.

Gu Yuan raised an eyebrow and asked, confirming, "Are you sure you want to use a weapon?"

If he remembers correctly, Ryu is currently using a Level 2 weapon.

The sword in his hand is probably among the top-tier weapons in this world.

The power disparity already existed, and when the weapon advantage was taken into account, his well-intentioned reminder, in the eyes of Ryumi, who was determined to uphold the standards of her clan and verify the other party's qualifications, seemed more like a confident provocation.

This only strengthened her resolve to surpass her opponent in pure swordsmanship.

"I'm sure."

Ryu's voice was resolute. She turned and walked towards the training ground. "Come on, I will let you see for yourself the power and resolve of those who bear the name of justice."

"Justice is not something that can be easily enforced simply by proclaiming it."

Seeing this, Gu Yuan said no more and simply stood up calmly: "Alright."

The group moved to the training ground within the clan's territory. As Gu Yuan slowly drew out the seemingly ancient but actually shimmering sword, a faint clang seemed to echo in the air.

The mere instant the sword was drawn, the sharp aura and heavy weight emanating from its blade caused the pupils of everyone present who was skilled in weaponry to shrink slightly.

Ryu's heart sank suddenly, and she instantly realized that she might have made a mistake.

This sword is no ordinary item!

However, the goddess Astraea, not far away, still wore a gentle smile, as if she didn't see anything.

Clearly, she also intended to use this opportunity to let these proud children know a little about the idea that "there are always people better than you, and there is always something beyond your understanding."

Goddess Astraea stood at the sidelines, her gaze sweeping over the two facing off. She gently raised her hand, her voice carrying clearly throughout the arena:

"Therefore, I hereby declare—the test shall now begin."