Day forty six of the ga.
As Lightchaser passed by the deck, she overheard a conversation between BS Pine Bloom and BS Mistblade.
"Can you reach her? She has not been answering calls lately. BS Shadow.Q said even Nivalis cannot get through."
"I got through once yesterday. B80 said she was busy."
"Hopefully that is true. Just make sure you stay in the top ten first."
"Sounds like you are pretty worried about her leaving BS."
"I just want to watch the chaos."
"What chaos?"
"If you, DawnCicada, and Tiger Ear Kessa all make the top ten at the sa ti, how will the Divine Ga rule it? More importantly, you can help push Nuclear Flash NightFury out."
"Huh? Did you not check the ladder? She climbed back up again. She is tenth now."
"..."
"Sigh. What do we do now, Pine Bloom. My combat form tail is two ters long. In the future, you four stacked together will barely match its length. You will have to jump to even hit my tail tip."
"...I am fighting you to the death."
...
Night of day forty seven.
DawnCicada purchased the only Vine available in the shop.
The Vine coiled around her wrist and wrapped upward along her arm. All of DawnCicada’s disabled skills revived at once.
Only when the Vine was truly in her possession did she finally relax. From now on, she could never allow BS Rita to touch her Vine again.
That person was truly impossible to shake.
She had only thought of her for a brief mont, yet while passing the communication hall, DawnCicada heard that familiar voice.
Fortunately, she had already slowed her steps.
It was not that she was especially alert. It was that, just like not long ago, the corridor outside the communication hall was packed with players.
Even Tiger Ear Kessa was there. eting DawnCicada’s contemptuous gaze, Tiger Ear Kessa silently pulled up her hood. What are you staring at.
From inside ca BS Rita’s voice.
"Ah, I am fine. I am just busy recording civilizations. Are you here to purchase Snowfield’s civilization? Let check. There are only customs from twenty one clans available for now."
It was neither the unrestrained provocation she had shown before, nor the cold detachnt she had displayed during her conversation with Deceitful Bloom at the shrine. It also lacked the gentle patience she had shown when speaking to Nuclear Flash NightFury and Tiger Ear Kessa about World Sighs.
This voice sounded like a tightly drawn string. She seed to be trying to act relaxed, but anyone experienced could hear far more beneath the surface.
DawnCicada rarely found herself thinking back to the ti when she had decided to seek revenge against Dawn.
She knew what she wanted to do. She would not change her decision for any existence. Yet countless voices had once disturbed her.
Would the other Vineborne truly be willing to shatter the peace of that ti for the sake of revenge?
Revenge would inevitably bring death. Would those Vineborne co to hate her for making that choice?
Would her stubborn resolve turn Dawn into a second illuminated Beacon?
She wanted to ignite the flas of vengeance and avenge the fallen Vineborne. But was that truly what the Vineborne wanted?
No matter how confident a being was, when faced with everything they cared about, hesitation inevitably crept in.
And there was also SmokeTune.
Every ti she saw SmokeTune, she could not help wondering whether SmokeTune represented the thoughts of a portion of the Vineborne, thoughts the others simply never voiced.
At this mont, BS Rita felt just like her from back then.
The most beautiful thing about becoming stronger was gaining the power to achieve everything you wanted.
The worst part was bearing burdens you had never imagined.
And in the process of realizing ideals, the ones who paid the price were often the players who had placed all their hopes on them.
They ran firmly toward their ideals, believing they would lead all who followed them to a better life. Yet when they imagined the worst outco, their throats still tightened.
The conversation inside the communication hall continued.
This ti, it was Mistblade.
"Is there a discount?"
BS Rita instantly sprang back to life and answered without hesitation. "No. That is Snowfield’s civilization. Is it really not worth paying extra for in your heart?"
Mistblade fell silent.
That was good. It seed the situation was not too bad.
On the screen, the BS Rita who had looked worried monts ago now spoke with a serious expression.
"If you cannot afford it, you can gather a few more Moon Foxes and split the cost. That is my final concession."
Laughter from the Moon Foxes echoed through the hall. After laughing enough, Mistblade spoke again, but she did not continue the previous topic.
"I marked you as a target player. Pine Bloom and Crab deliberately lost to . Right now, DawnCicada, Tiger Ear Kessa, and I are all in the top ten. We just do not know how the Divine Ga will ultimately rule it."
"Sounds like you all have a lot of faith in . Instead of worrying that I cannot resolve Lania Kaia’s descent, you are more worried about being taken by Dawn or Tiger Ear."
BS Mistblade did not answer that question.
They drifted into idle chatter, talking about all kinds of pointless topics.
Like what fruit Pine Bloom would beco if she really turned into a Fruitling. When eating together in the future, would Pine Bloom have to sit at the kids’ table?
Like whether DawnCicada, if she found out BS SmokeTune was living at BS Rita’s place, would make SmokeTune write daily reports in the world battlefield channel about what she did that day and what she said to BS Rita, and copy "My na is DawnSmokeTune. I hate BS Rita." a hundred tis.
Like whether BS Rita’s elf teacher still had room to drop in ranking this Divine Ga.
What had begun as a half dead conversation sohow ended with BS Rita letting out a few genuinely cheerful laughs.
In the corridor, the eavesdropping players worked together to firmly restrain Pine Bloom, DawnCicada, Lightchaser, and Nuclear Flash NightFury.
When Mistblade hung up and left the communication hall, stepping into the corridor, she saw an entire line of players staring at her in silence.
Pine Bloom, DawnCicada, Lightchaser, and Nuclear Flash NightFury were already standing in a row, weapons in hand, clearly having waited a long ti.
Mistblade fell silent.
She had underestimated them.
...
Day forty nine of the ga.
The world battlefield channel was already flooded with discussions about whether BS Rita had run away.
By the ti the ga day ended at eleven at night, the battlefield chat had turned into open betting.
The wager was simple.
Had BS Rita run or not?
Fury Motorbike: I placed a chanical device in the communication hall to tally votes. Bets are open. Stakes can be World Graveyard or equipnt items. I have already reported it to the Divine Ga supervision.
Lania Kaia Fat Goose: What are we betting? Whether she ran, or whether she will win the duel?
Fury Motorbike: She already lost the duel. Lania Kaia descending on BS is inevitable. My betting pool is whether her god given talent can successfully evolve before this ga ends.
By the ti Lania Kaia Fat Goose arrived at the communication hall, many players had already placed their bets.
There were plenty betting on BS Rita’s failure, densely packed. That was normal. The ga lasted fifty days. Tomorrow was the final day.
Curious, he glanced at the list of those betting that BS Rita would successfully evolve her god given talent.
Isolated Isle Lightchaser. Isolated Isle Ash Cinders. BS Mistblade. BS Pine Bloom. BS Crab. Those all looked normal enough.
Lania Kaia Maple Syrup. DawnCicada. Tiger Ear Kessa. Winter Sea Frenzied Shark. Verdant Whisper Windrush.
That felt a bit off, but still understandable. All were forr opponents. Raising an opponent’s status was also raising one’s own.
Scrolling further down.
Lania Kaia Wither. Tingo Autumn Deer. Nuclear Flash NightFury.
What race was BS Rita again?
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