Although Y128 had absolutely no idea what just happened, it still followed BS-Rita's command without hesitation. Together, they charged straight toward Dawn-Cicada, who was currently locked in combat with a hunter.

On the way over, Y128 obeyed every instruction BS-Rita snapped out.

First was Mutual Ruin, boosting casting speed and slashing the cost of spellcasting.

Then came Freeze Again, freezing an entire kilometer and locking everything in place.

Then Falling Starry Sky, unleashing a meteor shower infused with mental shock.

Then Aria of the Setting Sun, blasting out a radial shockwave that could outright execute weakened targets.

Because BS-Rita's tone was filled with an icy intent to kill, Y128 didn't dare question a thing. Whatever she asked for, it released.

In just a few seconds, the area Dawn-Cicada stood in was drowned completely in devastating magic.

This was pure hatred.

You Are Being Watched… You Are Being Watched… You Are Being Watched…

All players and hunters in the radius were frozen solid. Rita scanned the features of the hunter caught in the freeze. She didn't recognize them.

She didn't rush forward. Instead, she had Y128 steer the falling stars toward Dawn-Cicada to finish her last shred of HP.

But the instant the meteor struck and emptied Dawn-Cicada's health bar, her HP burst back to full and all her debuffs vanished.

Some sort of restoration skill.

A heartbeat later, Dawn-Cicada looked straight at her.

Their gazes met—steady, emotionless.

Then both moved at the same time.

As meteors continued to crash down relentlessly, Y128 activated Echoes of the Snowbound Realm.

The collar on Rita vanished, and the snowy world shimmered in the air above them. Even players and hunters who had just broken free from the freeze looked up instinctively. Dawn-Cicada and the hunter also paused for a split-second to glance at it.

Countless silhouettes rippled faintly like reflections in disturbed water. Their features were indistinguishable—until one silhouette flared brightly and stepped forth into life.

Wail.

Her SSR.

A true first-pull blessing.

Rita sent Wail to handle the other players and the hunter while she and Y128 pressed Dawn-Cicada.

The attributes of both Mechanoids were nearly identical, and with Mystic Force and the passive variant of Unchanged Fate narrowing the difference, Mutual Ruin's doubled damage intake barely mattered in this context.

Two players and two Mechanoids clashed fiercely, evenly matched. Yet Dawn-Cicada's mood had never been better.

She mocked, "What's wrong? Finally tasting what it feels like not to be the one favored?"

Rita's gaze stayed calm.

She didn't deny she cared about Deceitful Bloom. She had only four teachers in her life, and that goddess was one of them. Denying that attachment was the same as denying herself. She was not that cowardly.

But from now on, never again.

Remembering she couldn't speak to blondes in this game, she turned to Y128 and instructed, "Help me tell Dawn-Cicada this. I wouldn't grovel at Deceitful Bloom's feet even if I were dying. And I'm killing her for reasons that have nothing to do with Deceitful Bloom. What is a god anyway? I simply find every Vineborne unbelievably irritating."

The greatest misfortune of Y128's existence was meeting BS-Rita. It fumbled through the translation:

"She said… she would never act like you… um… wagging your tail at that goddess… Aba… anyway, you heard her…"

Perhaps Deceitful Bloom's favoritism had completely soothed Dawn-Cicada, because she didn't even get angry. Vines whipped around her, deflecting spells and striking toward Rita while she spoke leisurely:

"If wagging my tail let me see everything She planned for me, I would gladly grovel at Her feet day and night.

"You are special. She did far too much for you. It drove me insane.

"When Beacon shattered and She rejected my wager, I never hated Her. I only hated myself—for being slow-witted, for not working hard enough, for failing to become the second Deceitful Bloom of the Vineborne.

"I simply could not stomach Her granting an outsider a kind of favor and help She never gave me."

You Are Being Watched echoed endlessly while Dawn-Cicada rambled on, unclear whether she was talking to Rita or speaking for Deceitful Bloom's ears.

Rita said nothing, but Y128's calculations detected BS-Rita's rising curiosity. It politely asked on her behalf, "Then why not restore Beacon? Why build Dawn instead?"

Dawn-Cicada must have been in an excellent mood, because she readily answered a question asked by a Mechanoid:

"Beacon's fall was my greatest failure, one I can never forgive myself for. So I chose to stand on a mountain of enemies' corpses in Dawn and savor my spoils, instead of rebuilding a monument to my disgrace.

"I always thought Deceitful Bloom disapproved. I never imagined She would follow my will and let Dawn grow."

Blades clashed. Mechanoid foreheads bumped with a metallic crack. Vines lashed out and bound BS-Rita's hands. Dawn-Cicada seized the collar at Rita's throat and yanked her forward, forcing Rita to tilt her head back.

Dawn-Cicada looked down at her—so close she could see the fury burning in Rita's eyes.

Unspoken was the truth: even knowing Deceitful Bloom's reasons, Dawn-Cicada still couldn't let go.

With a victor's smile tugging at her lips, she declared,

"BS-Rita, I will honor Her will. When you join Dawn, you will become one of Dawn's leaders. I permit you to fight for Dawn."

Since leaving the temple—for the first time—Rita laughed.

A light, almost childish laugh.

The instant her fingertips brushed the vine binding her wrists, she spoke directly to Dawn-Cicada for the first time:

"I'm curious. Do you think She'll make a third vine for you?"

Flower of Deceit.

In an instant, Dawn-Cicada's vine turned into an ordinary golden apple.

By the time the apple fell into Rita's hands, she had already kicked Dawn-Cicada away and retreated at full speed while taking vicious bites out of the apple.

She was furious. Vineborne were the most obnoxious species in the universe.

Dawn-Cicada, meanwhile, stood frozen in shock—then horror.

Her vine. Her vine.

She lunged forward.

Rita spun around and sprinted.

It was the first time in her life she'd eaten an apple this fast. She nearly choked.

"BS-Rita!" Dawn-Cicada screamed, voice cracking with fury.

Mouth full of apple, Rita jabbed a finger at Dawn-Cicada behind her, signaling Y128 to handle the yelling on her behalf.

Y128 pondered for two seconds, then dutifully shouted,

"She's eating! If you have something to say, just say it!"

Rita: ...

Y128 wasn't nearly enough. If Nivalis or B80 were here, they'd be able to curse Dawn-Cicada into the ground.

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