"Whoa...this guy is really something, isn't he?" Subaru said as they worked to avoid the wind attacks.
"Tell me about it." Gengar said firing multiple Shadow Balls to try and trip up the bard.
The bard quickly made a magic circle under his feet that launched him into the air before following up with a barrage of air arrows.
"Wind Drain!" Al called as Chronos appeared and erected a green shield over everyone.
"Status Drain!" the bard said, plucking his harp as the shields vanished.
"It's no good. He's got a trick for just about everything." Rayleigh said.
"In that case… Better slow him down. Sukunda!" Scott said as Caesar appeared, lowering the bard's speed.
"You think that will make a difference?" the bard said as they came at him. For a moment, his fingers refused to move until the last minute. "Huh...that was odd...my fingers...I...can feel them numbing up…"
"Heh...I was wondering when that effect would kick in." Gengar chuckled.
"Speed changes don't just affect movement, you know." Scott said.
"Ah, I get it now… By lowering his speed, he's unable to react as fast as he used to. That's quite the interesting tactic." Rayleigh said.
"Yeah...lowering his speed helped but that isn't why his fingers are numbing up." Gengar said.
"The lick…" the bard said.
"Lick has a chance of paralyzing its target. It took longer than I planned, but looks like everything is coming together. Won't be long before you're trading in that harp for a kazoo." Gengar said.
"I can still beat you. I just need to...to…" the bard said, barely being able to move his fingers.
"Give it up, man. It's over." Scott said.
"Just surrender peacefully and there won't be further trouble." Lei said.
"I must keep...fighting." the bard said.
"Ugh...won't just give it up huh? Fine...then I'll send you off to dreamland." Gengar said. "Hex!" he said hitting the bard with a powerful Spectral Energy, sending him flying onto his back.
"Augh!" the bard yelled as he squirmed, his body giving off white smoke-like wisps.
"Wait, what's that smoke coming off of him?" Kazuma asked.
"No...it can't...expire...now…" he said before a bright light covered him before vanishing, reverting his clothes to a normal person's as a strange jewel fell from his body.
"That must be the source of his powers." Matthew said as he picked it up.
"An Asterisk?!" Cobalt said.
"Asterisk? Like the one David's classmates have?" Ramona asked.
"Indeed. They give normal people job classes. I had assumed all of David's classmates had them all but…" Cobalt said as he looked over to the bard. "Where did you get this?"
"The...woman...gave it to me. Said she procured it...from a guild she created." the bard groaned.
"Woman?" Goblin Slayer asked. "Did she carry a book with her?"
"You don't need to ask. It is who you all think it is. Canaan." Gengar said. "He told me himself that she gave him power."
"That woman is more trouble than she's worth." Lei said.
"Is she trouble? Or is she just trying to keep things interesting for the final leg?" Goblin Slayer asked. "At the very least, she isn't evil, that much is clear. She did give this guy powers, but that was only because she was creating dungeons for others to explore."
"Was it really for others though?" Cobalt asked. "So far, we've been the only ones entering them and clearing them all."
"Look, we can delve into the schematics all we want, but there's one question that he doesn't even try to answer." Scott said.
"Right...you wanna know his motive. He wanted to get his friend back." Gengar said.
"But who was this friend he kept talking about? Why did they even leave him?" Rayleigh asked.
"It… it wasn't by choice." the boy said before his body began to glow once more.
"Wait, you mean…?" CP asked in astonishment.
"Yes." the boy said. "I'm not a living person. I died during a war, back in my world. That woman… she said that jewel would fit my previous life. I guess, now that I don't have it… there's nothing to keep me here."
The boy slowly got up as his body started to fade away.
"I guess I can't be too mad, you were doing the right thing. I was the bad guy here." the boy said. "But… I would've liked to see him one last time. Maybe you'll see him someday. In the world I came from, I think he goes by Barbatos."
"Don't worry then." Gengar said, picking up the harp. "From one ghost to another, we promise...one day...we'll see that your feelings reach him even from beyond the grave." Gengar said.
"...Thank you." the boy smiled and bowed his head as his body faded away completely. "Good bye..."
"Yeah...go and sleep...fellow ghost." Gengar said as the last trace of the boy's body had faded.
The last of the Wind Chimers had been rounded up and the gang dissolved as everyone rejoined outside.
"So...how could he have that Asterisk? I thought…" Ramona asked.
"So did I. But yet...here one is." Cobalt said. "Then again, it's not like there's a rule against more than one of the same asterisk existing."
"Yeah, I mean… A few of them were able to gain those classes at the same time, so…" Yangus pondered.
"My thoughts exactly. It means the treasure for the Adventure Universe could possibly be…" Cobalt said.
"A whole lot of them." Theo said before smiling. "We'd be able to strengthen both Mythos Hearts and Fatebreakers with those when we get new normal recruits."
"But...what about the treasure here?" Kazuma asked.
"I think this may have been it." Gengar said, holding the harp.
"Yes...I recognize it. One of a set of mystical instruments crafted in this universe long ago." Baton said. "The Harp of Winds."
"The Harp of Winds?!" DJ exclaimed in surprise. "Holy crap, now I recognize it! It went missing three years ago, the last owner had a reward of $10 billion to anyone who returned it!"
"10 billion!?" Eddy exclaimed. "Guys! We're rich! Again!"
"Oh, you mean the trillions from all of the artifacts in the Past Universe wasn't enough for you?" Cheetah asked.
"Hey, it's money earned from doing good deeds! Let me have this!" Eddy said.
"But… We were never really in this for the money." David said.
"Eddy, let's just move on, okay?" Mark said. "So, we managed to stop the Wind Chimes and save the Fantasia of Lights. I suppose it'll be back to business as usual with you Composition guys?" he asked Baton.
"Yes, I suppose so… with one possible exception." Baton said as Matthew stepped forward. "You see, with the Wind Chimes gone, the Composition is the most powerful gang in the city, which means there's nothing here to challenge young Patel here. Now, I'd hate to see the kid get rusty so, with your permission… I'd like him to go with you."
"Hmm… I think we can find something to keep him busy with." Belladonna said.
"You seem eager to take him in, Belladonna." Riesz said.
"Well, of course. After all, Scott and Ramona here know him personally, so gotta keep him on his toes somehow." Belladonna said.
"What do you think, Matt? These guys are...pretty much our rivals, so you might get your money's worth with these guys." Scott said.
"They're the rival team for your team, huh?" Matthew replied, before smiling. "Seems appropriate. I like the idea."
"Then it's settled." Baton said. "It was good working with you, Matthew. I wish you all the luck out there."
"Same here, Baton." Matthew nodded before he walked over to join the rest of Reformed Society. "I'm ready and willing. Don't know how much use I'll be to you guys, but I'll do the best I can. So don't forget I'm here."
"We won't, Matthew Patel. Welcome to the Reformed Society." Cheetah said.
"Now then...our job is done here...we should head off to our next destination." Jexi said.
"And...that would be?" Asta asked.
"I was thinking...I think we should go to the Magical Girl Universe next." Madoka said.
"Why there?" Hope asked.
"I'm...not entirely sure. I just have this feeling that we should go there." Madoka said.
"I've got no complaints." Tsumugi said.
"Yeah, with a universe like that, probably best not to expect much from us guys." David said.
"Don't worry, David. This next dungeon is...pretty much ladies night, in a sense." Sectonia said.
"Are you girls still hopped up about that guys night out back in Paris?" David asked.
"What happened?" Ace asked.
"Uh...nothing that needs mentioning." Sonic said.
"In any case, we would've been going there sooner or later, so might as well." Sectonia said.
"I'm not sure what is there...but it's at least worth a look." Madoka said.
"Alright. Then let's get going." Hope said.