Rita didn’t deny what Dawn Cicada had said. In fact, she had been considering the sa question—she was thinking about the limits of her own plan, and what she could do if she exceeded those limits to avoid sinking alongside everyone else.
Would it have been different if she were just a bit stronger...
The atmosphere inside the palace grew heavy and quiet.
Dawn Cicada added, "This is my idea. You can pretend you know nothing. When the ti cos, you can step forward and bla —push everything onto ."
Rita snapped out of her thoughts and let out a mocking smile. She wasn’t sure if she was mocking the words or the scene they described.
She didn’t utter any empty promises about saving every single being.
"No need. If such a day ever cos, if that mont ever exists, I don’t mind shouldering guilt, because no one has the right to judge . Besides, without your war skills, the invasion wouldn’t succeed anyway—you would still be invading other worlds in BS’s na, wouldn’t you?"
Even if, at that mont, there was no need for invasion progress for her to descend into another world, once BSCicada arrived anywhere, didn’t that still an she was acting as BS Rita?
Seeing that such a proposal only made her hesitate for a fleeting mont, Dawn Cicada offered one final reason BS Rita could not refuse:
"You want BS to level up, right? Shattering the eight-star world Dawn can at least upgrade BS to six stars. You don’t want to be an invader or a butcher, yet you want BS to grow. Dawn is your only option.
"A large number of Lania Kaia’s beings will be transferred to BS, freeing up slots so at least half of Dawn’s population can move over. Add the extra slots from BS reaching six stars, and there’s enough space for most of the remaining Dawn population.
"Finally, Dawn will be entirely under my control. I, a Vineborne, have no attachnt to Dawn. As long as BS accepts all Vineborne and gives other Dawn beings a place to settle, you can destroy Dawn freely.
"On top of that, half of Dawn’s existing resources go to BS."
Even with her five-star world skill, and even if continuing to write World Sigh might grant her more world skills, she could not refuse this reason.
A six-star BS would always be stronger than a four-star, with at least double the vitality. Three days wouldn’t be enough for BS to push Dawn’s invasion progress to 10%, but it was enough for part of Dawn’s population to be transferred to Lania Kaia!
As for shattering Dawn itself, that would have to wait until the third Bell.
"Deal," Rita said, standing up. "Go prepare for your descent. I’ll co to Dawn tomorrow to make a cookie house."
For every leader, their own race was the most important. Vineborne would certainly all be transferred to BS. But for a world like Dawn, where the population was diverse yet completely under Vineborne control, the survivors left behind had varying degrees of closeness to their leader.
Which ones remained in Lania Kaia, which were made into cookies and taken away—these were all Dawn Cicada’s responsibility to arrange.
Rita strode out, her boots clicking sharply on the palace floor, and called into the air: "I owe you nothing."
Both Smoke Tune following her and Dawn Cicada, preparing for her own descent, paused. But they quickly understood—BS Rita’s words were ant for soone in particular.
At that mont, both Smoke Tune and Cicada wanted to ask: Can it really be calculated this way?
Dawn Cicada shouted after BS Rita’s departing back: "Hey! I paid for this! Why does it matter to her?"
Without looking back, Rita called out: "Mind your own business!" and leapt onto the cat-ship.
Even before Rita’s ship returned to BS, all of Starsea received an announcent:
[Battlefield Announcent: "Dawn" has launched its final descent on "Lania Kaia"]
Lania Kaia: ???
Even Maple Syrup, who was outside baking cookies, froze for a mont.
No one expected Dawn to launch an attack on Lania Kaia at this mont. Other worlds might still be vulnerable, but Lania Kaia’s situation was extrely special. The only world skill Lania Kaia·Wither had belonged to the world’s ruler. Destroying Lania Kaia would an the certain death of Lania Kaia·Wither, and Dawn would gain nothing.
Shouldn’t Dawn have negotiated with Lania Kaia to prevent an ergency severing?
Yet after a brief silence, a few leaders quickly realized the biggest variable—the one person who could change everything...
On her way out of Dawn, Rita inford Mistblade and the other BS leaders, as well as Shadow.QAvery and the legion commanders, about her deal with Dawn Cicada, so they could prepare. She herself set off for Tiger Ear.
The world battlefield channel was still alive with shouts from Tiger Ear Quex, interspersed with hoarse calls from Fat Goose and others.
Lania Kaia, despite its personal strength and number of war skills, could not resist Dawn.
[Lania Kaia Fat Goose]: Am I still asleep?
[Lania Kaia Flowering Edge]: ???
[Lania Kaia Maple Syrup]: BS Rita
[Lania Kaia Fat Goose]: Did she do sothing again?
[Dawn Cicada]: Don’t be afraid, don’t fight. I’m transferring so Dawn players and then leaving.
[Lania Kaia·Wither]: ???
[Lania Kaia Fat Goose]: Why does it sound like she’s taking out the trash???
[BS Rita]: She’s migrating them. Two days’ work and it’s done.
[Dawn Spring Guest]: Yes, yes, Wither Monarch. The ones who arrive will be Lania Kaia players. Feed them, and they’ll consider Lania Kaia ho.
[Lania Kaia·Wither]: ...Do I still need to pack food for them?
By now, Dawn Cicada had personally descended into Lania Kaia to negotiate with Lania Kaia·Wither. She was responsible for the survivors she left behind in Dawn. re military deterrence wasn’t enough. Once the invasion sequence was severed, no matter how strong she was, she couldn’t oversee all the players moved to Lania Kaia.
Indeed, her strength was present, and Lania Kaia·Wither was a rational and kind ruler. By both reason and ethics, he wouldn’t kill the players forcibly moved to Lania Kaia. But as Dawn’s leader, she had to consider the welfare of these migrating players. She wasn’t actually "throwing out trash."
Lania Kaia and Dawn were bustling, but Rita had already descended at Tiger Ear.
Tiger Ear was also a special world, a five-star world with a world skill.
Its situation resembled Lania Kaia’s: originally a six-star world, it had fallen to five stars during the Player Relic ga when the leader and followers were taken.
The only world skill Tiger Ear Quex had was also four-star.
When Rita arrived, Tiger Ear Quex was worried. Seeing the ship, she jumped onto the deck without waiting for BS Rita to step off.
"Rita, I need your help!"
Rita studied Quex’s anxious expression carefully. She asked curiously: "I thought you said, if Tiger Ear couldn’t hold on, you’d let take you to BS?"
"But it hasn’t reached that point yet! My world skill is four-star."
"Is that so? Then why co to ?"
"My world skill is four-star, but behind Tiger Ear is another world... four-star Dark Reef. They survived the last Bell by sharing my world skill."
"And?"
Tiger Ear Quex took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and said softly: "Midsumr was shattered by Dark Reef. There are many Celestialkin there..."
In other words, she would never allow Tiger Ear to sever the invasion sequence with Dark Reef. But a single four-star world skill already barely protected Tiger Ear. Protecting Dark Reef as well could very likely drag Tiger Ear down with it.
The previously determined "I can give up Tiger Ear" saltfish, unwilling to die to the Bell, now wanted to protect both Tiger Ear and Dark Reef simultaneously.
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