The players on the spectator stands all wore grim expressions.
They had already gone through several elimination rounds and one-on-one duels. Under their ntors’ guidance, they had also been paying attention to Lightchaser. But in her previous fights, she had only used her daggers. This match was different. She had unleashed a full arsenal of techniques.
Cinders was no weak opponent. Her skill set was vast, almost like a living library of abilities. Her combat style was as precise as a textbook.
Yet not only did she fail to defeat Lightchaser, she did not even force Lightchaser to reveal her divine talent word.
Rita watched Lightchaser and Cinders return to the stands, her own expression serious. She understood these two teachers better than anyone else present.
Cinders had taught at Moonlight Marsh for years. Her salary was not just gold. A major part of it ca in the form of skill scrolls.
And she was the best teacher in Moonlight Marsh aside from Wrong Answer. The library was open to her. The number of skills she possessed was likely greater than the combined total of several Divine Ga players.
Strictly speaking, the special rule that capped intelligence at 1000 limited Cinders’ performance.
But Lightchaser was limited as well. Her most important attributes, strength and agility, were also suppressed.
Even so, her combat technique had beco terrifying, as if she had been completely reborn.
Foolishness had training toys similar to the Ga Console that Loves Gas. Deceitful Bloom had flowers that pulled the wearer into illusionary combat training. According to the chat channels, every god had their own training thods.
Dawn Cicada and the others had used them too. But none of them had improved as dramatically as Lightchaser.
Was it because they had not trained long enough?
Or was Lightchaser simply a genius?
Rita rembered how Lightchaser had taken a single glance at Rita Wildfire and instantly replicated it.
Alright.
She really was.
Rita quietly withdrew her gaze from Cinders’ face. The teacher might have lost, but she looked thoroughly satisfied.
The bell rang.
New symbols appeared over the clock arena.
On the left was a stick figure wearing a flower crown and holding a bone club.
On the right was a Vine.
BS Rita versus Beacon Cicada.
Rita sucked in a sharp breath.
Back during the early beta, she had exploited a bug. In the eyes of Uncharted Star Sea, she technically counted as undead.
If Lania Kaia Wither had not used Sinblood to absorb the earlier punishnt, would she have been included in the execution as well?
Though considering how Uncharted Star Sea occasionally pulled strings behind the scenes, the most likely outco was that she simply could not be selected.
Before she could think further, she was already teleported onto the clock arena.
Her eyes t Dawn Cicada’s.
For Vineborne, the best weapon was their own Vine.
Unfortunately for Dawn Cicada, BS Rita possessed a skill that could devour another Vine without permission.
So Dawn Cicada was currently holding the weapon provided by Divine Ga.
A whip.
Ever since her Vine had been eaten once before, Dawn Cicada had developed a habit. Whenever she shared a space with BS Rita, she hid one segnt of her Vine away to prevent the entire Vine from being consud.
Rita held the longsword issued by Divine Ga.
Golden Rain Curtain spread outward, covering the entire arena.
She had no intention of holding back. Dawn Cicada clearly felt the sa.
Lightning rain poured down from the sky.
Black roses blood along Dawn Cicada’s white snake-bone fra.
The lightning caused her no harm at all. Instead, the roses changed. Their petals turned into pure light, glowing the sa gold as the lightning.
Heartless Temptation.
One of its effects allowed the user to guide a specific attribute so that it could no longer harm them.
At this mont, Dawn Cicada’s Vine had clearly guided the lightning attribute.
Rita did not bother forming her companion lightning into a sword. She had plenty of weapons already.
But the storm itself would partially seal Dawn Cicada’s Vine abilities.
Another duel between familiar faces.
Rita had no intention of chatting.
Dawn Cicada clearly did.
"There’s sothing I’ve always wanted to know," she said.
The seriousness in her voice made Rita stop.
"If you hadn’t joined this ga near the end. If you had never obtained that world skill that can drag a world out of the invasion sequence..."
Dawn Cicada continued slowly.
"Would you drift along like the rest of us? Invading other worlds so your own world would not be invaded?"
"Or would you push everything onto your own people? Continue playing your Divine Ga clean and untouched while still contributing to your race?"
"Or would you pretend you knew nothing? Close your eyes, block your ears, and wander away?"
The last two possibilities were described with unsettling clarity.
Either Dawn Cicada had witnessed such choices herself, or she had seriously considered them.
In the past, Rita might not have bothered answering.
But they had spent thirty days as classmates. Later they had dug around that enormous flower garden together every day. Dawn Cicada had even helped her find Ask My Heart.
Since the question was sincere, Rita answered sincerely.
"Option one," Rita said without hesitation.
She hated war. But if it could not be avoided, she would face it together with her people.
Then she added calmly.
"Until soone stronger appears in BS and I’m no longer needed. After that, I’d choose options two and three. Just like Smoke Tune."
Dawn Cicada fell silent for a few seconds.
She tightened her grip on the whip.
"I see," she said.
"Let’s begin."
But before she could charge forward, Rita spoke again.
"I have a question too."
The whip lowered naturally.
Dawn Cicada’s red eyes fixed on her.
"Ask."
"Why have you never been angry about her controlling you?"
This had always puzzled Rita.
At first she thought Dawn Cicada simply admired Deceitful Bloom too much.
But after spending ti with her, Rita realized she was not soone without pride or self-respect.
"She used your admiration and attention. She guided you into noticing her special treatnt toward . Then you invaded Lania Kaia and targeted BS."
"She could have told you directly."
"But she didn’t."
"Aren’t you angry?"
Dawn Cicada shook her head slightly.
"I’m not angry."
She looked at Rita with a faint smile.
"BS Rita, you’re really boring."
"If you want a Vine you like to grow along the path you want, of course you have to understand it, cultivate it, guide it."
"What’s the point of plucking it and planting it straight at the destination?"
"The ti and effort she spent on ... that was the price she paid for ."
User Comments
0 comments from readers