Several minutes later, Deceitful Bloom and BS Rita halted in their tracks, looking at the figure standing atop a large tree in the distance.
Crimson eyes, red wings, and wind-blown red curls.
Unlike the ever-sharp SS Maple Syrup, the Maple Syrup before them seed almost groggy, slouched against the tree trunk, holding a wooden pipe.
Her attire—a loose, bathrobe-like white gown embroidered with dull maple leaf patterns, paired with a black belt at her waist—gave off a relaxed, almost careless aura.
"Ah, ah?"
The voice ca from a miniature dragon that had unexpectedly popped out from under Deceitful Bloom’s hood.
Although Nivalis had never read Maple Syrup’s diary—Rita, the hypocrite, only allowed herself to pry into others’ secrets—she and Ash Cinders had discussed the Demon Relics after eting up. They had speculated that Maple Syrup’s Demon Relic, the Legacy of Pain, was likely a long pipe, especially since Ash Cinders had firmly claid that the long pipe was a Forest Sea trend, possibly originating from the Vineborne god of Oak Owls.
At that mont, Nivalis had imagined what Quiet Mountain’s Maple Syrup might look like.
In Uncharted Star Sea, Nivalis had t many players through Rita, and Maple Syrup was the toughest and most charismatic one she knew. She was also the only Divine Ga player they both knew who was a mother.
However, SS Maple Syrup broke the norm. Despite having three daughters, and despite her obsession with them, Maple Syrup exhibited no maternal softness—her brilliance only radiated upon herself.
Once Nivalis learned that Quiet Mountain’s Maple Syrup carried a long pipe as her Demon Relic, she had ford a preliminary ntal picture.
Not Maple Syrup with a spear, but Maple Syrup with a pipe?
Wait, wouldn’t that make her a beautiful mother?!
But when she saw her in person, Nivalis was shocked.
Was this the disheveled big sister from the Mahjong parlor?
Shivering, Nivalis turned to see BS Rita silently staring at her. The golden thunderstorm had mysteriously stopped, and BS Rita was now holding a golden glowing long sword.
A small hand slowly extended from beneath the hood and pulled Nivalis down by her horn, quickly hiding her.
Deceitful Bloom, still assessing Maple Syrup with a curious look, was surprised as well. While they couldn’t directly observe Quiet Mountain’s situation, they had speculated that Maple Syrup’s qualities—her abilities, personality, and life experience—fit the mold for Quiet Mountain’s clone standards. However, she hadn’t expected Quiet Mountain’s Maple Syrup to look like this.
Quiet Mountain’s Maple Syrup withdrew her gaze from SS Rita and looked toward Deceitful Bloom. Her seemingly groggy eyes finally opened wider as she frowned, asking, "Why are you helping her?"
Deceitful Bloom understood. Perhaps she had briefly encountered her own Quiet Mountain counterpart, but she didn’t feel the need to explain. "Are we going to fight?"
Quiet Mountain’s Maple Syrup’s response was simple.
Clang!
The golden sword clanged against the long pipe, blocking it just inches from her ear.
Even though she appeared groggy, Maple Syrup was still Maple Syrup.
Deceitful Bloom said to BS Rita, "She’s our enemy. Killing her will give us contribution points."
Maple Syrup exhaled a puff of smoke, blowing it toward SS Rita. A few petals flew forward to gather the smoke and carry it away.
Now it was BS Rita’s turn to attack. Without even summoning her flower sword, her golden sword alone was enough to make Maple Syrup retreat in a flurry.
In a few exchanges, the two had clashed several tis.
Deceitful Bloom rely stood off to the side, ensuring her Vine stayed connected to BS Rita.
Nivalis whispered in Dragon Tongue, "Aren’t you going to help?"
Deceitful Bloom replied in Dragon Tongue, "This is her fight."
Nivalis imdiately turned and exaggerated, "Did you hear that? She actually respects her now!"
Deceitful Bloom rubbed her ear, lazily warning, "I should remind you, I don’t have her patience."
Nivalis fell silent.
Quiet Mountain’s Maple Syrup was pressed against the tree trunk by the long sword, staring at SS Rita, her thoughts a mixture of surprise and resignation. Despite the striking similarity in their techniques, their auras were still vastly different.
A few minutes later, BS Rita assessed the enemy’s strength. She knew she had to go all out to defeat her.
With a flick of her left hand, her Vine transford into a flower sword. The white flower sword and golden light sword intersected in the air, and a faint golden mist began to spread out, quickly covering the area.
Was this the skill that triggered Forest Sea’s defense system?
The minutes of combat had already been enough for Maple Syrup to assess BS Rita’s power. Without using her ultimate abilities, she couldn’t win.
SS Rita’s combat skills had already moved beyond QM Rita’s, forging a path of her own. In other words, through countless Demon Ga lessons, SS Rita had surpassed QM Rita in swordsmanship.
But as players, there were many ways to fight. Quiet Mountain’s Maple Syrup still had her Demon Talents and Relics.
With those, she could certainly defeat SS Rita, who was focused on direct combat. But with Deceitful Bloom watching and Forest Sea’s situation worsening, Maple Syrup had to make a choice.
She took a long puff from her pipe, blowing out a stream of white smoke that covered the golden mist. She then attempted to use her Demon Relic to counter this devastating wide-area attack skill.
At the sa ti, she used her special privileges to teleport the two Uncharted Star Sea players to the outskirts of the city.
The aning was clear: Get out of here.
Quiet Mountain’s main city was vast, so even if they ran full speed, it would take about half an hour to escape. That was why Quiet Mountain’s Maple Syrup had blocked them, though sotis, the city was small.
For example, when BS Rita had first entered Beacon, she had accidentally encountered QM Cicada.
Just like how SS Cicada, though she had complained about BS Rita’s recklessness, had still followed the plan and arrived in Forest Sea. She had heard about the situation before asking, and as soon as she entered the city, she noticed a commotion.
She imdiately pulled up her black collar and hood, squeezing through the crowd to see the source of the noise.
Mocking voices, skills being unleashed... but the clearest sound was that of a lazy, pleasant voice with a faint smile.
—"No wonder it wants to take you. If it were , I’d do the sa."
They had already managed to overpower Quiet Mountain’s Maple Syrup so quickly. Though Maple Syrup hadn’t used her ultimate abilities, neither had BS Rita used any equipnt, Divine Talents, or even her Divine Gift.
Vineborne, human, with the Vine that connected them, and under the golden rain curtain, they leapt and ran through the trees, their movents fluid and effortless. The Vineborne in front smiled back at the human, who remained unresponsive, like a lifeless doll.
SS Cicada gaped, staring in disbelief at the two moving between the trees, her head and entire body rotating to follow their every motion. It felt like a dream, and every movent from them seed to creak like a puppet.
"... How... How is this possible? Is this a dream?"
Deceitful Bloom, having instinctively slled the familiar scent of flowers, glanced over. Her lips curved into a smile of satisfaction, thinking, "Maybe Uncharted Star Sea has hope in this era."
And then, her eyes locked with Cicada’s.
Deceitful Bloom’s smile froze.
Focusing on the path ahead, BS Rita continued running, not sparing a glance at the Vineborne standing between them, her expression unreadable. The Vine between them remained connected, and Deceitful Bloom was pulled along.
Cicada: ·?·?
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