[The End of the Story]: I cannot choose how the story begins, nor can I interfere with how it unfolds. But I can decide when it ends. Upon drinking, the user will gain the skill [The End of the Story].
Rita did not hesitate. She drank it all in one swallow.
[Congratulations, player ■■Rita, you have comprehended the Divine Skill — The End of the Story]
[The End of the Story] (Divine Skill): "Death is the best ending. Let every story end here." As the cost of gaining a random curse, select one target. Ignore all conditions and cause that target to die instantly. If the target is resurrected, the curse will remain for seven natural days. If the target dies permanently, the curse duration will beco an imprint that will remain forever upon the player. Cooldown: seven natural days. This cooldown cannot be reduced by any ans.
(Note: Any kill achieved with this skill will not be acknowledged by any divine relic.)
A Divine Skill! So beyond SSS, there truly exists the realm of the gods.
This was the strongest power she had ever held.
Rita stood still, looking at Maple Syrup lying before her.
In Maple Syrup’s eyes burned rage, disbelief, hatred — and regret. "How dare you!"
"If we’re going to break, let’s make it clean," Rita said with a bright, sharp smile. Her voice trembled with satisfaction, as if the fury before her was a victory in itself. "Now we’re even, aren’t we?"
Maple Syrup stepped forward, one stride after another. In her mind flashed Pine Bloom’s warning from long ago, when she had traded for the [Rose Voucher].
"Don’t try to cheat the rules. One rose, one wish."
Then ca Captain’s calm, detached voice.
"Your love and hatred are too intense. You can turn the innocent Autumn Bears into cookies because they had ties to Maple Burn, and yet you can’t kill BS-Rita because of so misplaced rcy."
"The shattering of Forest Sea didn’t teach you to silence your distractions and focus."
"You resent for my arrogance, but you’re no different."
"You act rciful toward BS-Rita as if it’s charity. You think you’ve already won, don’t you?"
"She combines everything the Maple Owls once were — Mu, Cang, Burn — all their brilliance and all their flaws. And you’ve lost your mind over it."
Maple Syrup closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, her long spear was leveled, her grip trembling, her voice steady but seething. "You’re right. You owe nothing."
It was her mistake. She should never have felt rcy toward BS-Rita.
She should never have confused the wings of Maple Burn and those long-buried mories in the High Tower with affection.
"That’s good," Rita said softly. In her eyes shone the sa final resolve. "Then wish — wish us both — no regrets."
The clock struck the hour.
Above them, a vortex tore open, and an Orchid Mantis the size of a small carriage descended from the void.
At that very mont, Rita leaned backward from the stands, letting herself fall freely through the air.
Maple Syrup’s eyes flickered with confusion but she followed, diving after her.
They fell past the ninth floor, past Mistblade who stood watching at the edge of her empty shelves. Mistblade’s team was closest to victory, yet she did not move.
Everything was shifting too fast.
Rita, so used to flight, found herself unsteady in this wild fall. She turned her head and saw the Orchid Mantis falling beside her, barely ten ters away.
From above, golden thunder, tree shadows, and the great owl-shaped spirit of the Forest Sea plunged toward her. When they were close enough to brush her coat, Rita raised her hand toward the Orchid Mantis, miming the shape of a gun.
Bang.
Divine Skill — [The End of the Story].
The Orchid Mantis vanished.
Hidden Team Battle Mission: completed.
As she neared the ground, Rita fell directly into the Champion’s Passage.
...
"Foolishness..."
"She didn’t even touch the ground!!!"
"Unbelievable!"
"Foolishness... you..."
"What just happened? Did soone knock out for hours?"
"She jumped in and was out again like a gust of wind."
"I can’t. I eat dumplings slower than that."
"That laugh... is that Deceitful Bloom? I think the floor’s shaking."
"I went to check. Barista, Drumr, and Captain are all there."
"Guess we’re not leaving the house anyti soon. I’m scared of dying from divine laughter."
"Can BS-Rita go tornt the gods instead?"
"Being near BS-Rita ans being near pain."
"Being near BS-Rita ans being near pain."
"Being near BS-Rita ans being near pain."
"But staying away from her ans losing all the fun."
"Say it right! Staying away from BS-Rita ans staying away from Deceitful Bloom and Foolishness’s chaos!"
Not far away, Foolishness stopped walking. The roaring laughter from the demon outpost rolled like thunder behind them.
Foolishness sighed.
Maybe it was ti to move sowhere without acquaintances.
Wait. Deceitful Bloom’s BS-Rita water bottle was almost done.
Foolishness turned back. One last stop for rch before leaving.
The laughter still carried through the corridors.
"I wonder if she’ll regret sacrificing the Orange-Red Light Wings after her soul wakes."
"Why would she? It’s a Divine Skill! Trading wings and a few abilities for that is a bargain."
"Besides, she could only separate those wings because everyone’s soul state is unstable inside Card Swap. Once outside, even if she keeps [Wrong Season], she can’t replicate this mont or copy [The End of the Story]."
"It’s not just the materials that can’t be copied. It’s that surge of soul fire at the end."
...
Next room.
Bitter Chalice studied Captain’s calm expression with mild surprise. "I thought you’d be pleased about Lania Kaia Maple Syrup’s loss."
"Why would I be pleased?"
"Because it proves your endless preaching was right?"
Captain leaned back in his chair, eyes fixed on the screen where Lania Kaia Maple Syrup sat with closed eyes, silent and broken.
His voice was quiet. "I’m not pleased."
"Just as I admired BS-Rita the mont she entered the Ga, I noticed Maple Syrup the third ti she joined Divine Ga years ago."
"You can all call a lunatic, but everything I’ve done wasn’t to tornt her. Why else would I push her toward [Faded Holand]?"
"Worlds break all the ti. What’s one more shattered Forest Sea?"
"But only its destruction could force Lania Kaia Maple Syrup to see herself clearly."
"If Forest Sea hadn’t fallen, even if I handed her [Faded Holand], that relic would never have chosen her."
"She’s always been like this — thinking there’s still ti, believing she can fix everything, holding on when she shouldn’t, cutting deep when she shouldn’t."
"She’s like BS-Rita, both too honest for their own good. But Maple Syrup is worse — her love and hatred burn far too bright."
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