Chapter 1402: 1402 Adjudicator Game: Game Invasion 7

Nivalis had wondered about something similar before, though her question had been different from the elf’s. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Back when they arrived in that timeline and learned that BS Rita had died during the Battle of BS, Nivalis’s first reaction had been:

"Why does this world still exist without you?"

In Nivalis’s eyes, any timeline without BS Rita should have faded into No Light. Any story without BS Rita would be unbearably dull. It should have been pruned away the very first time Order Clock cut the timelines.

How had it survived until now?

The question Lightchaser was asking at this moment was the answer to Nivalis’s old question.

It was also the answer B80 had once calculated.

Ever since learning there was a world without BS Rita, Lightchaser had been imagining that world’s story.

She imagined that possibility.

She imagined that pain.

And so she had foolishly asked whether it became a Brilliance timeline.

But what she really wanted to ask was whether that timeline had become the second most Brilliance timeline.

Even if it had survived until the Third Bell, it still wouldn’t be enough in her eyes.

The core logic of the elf’s life was simple.

I am Lightchaser.

She was the strongest.

Therefore, her pain should be the greatest as well.

Nivalis’s question began from BS Rita.

Lightchaser’s question began from herself.

The two had unknowingly traced half a circle each, forming a perfect question and answer.

Rita replied with a question of her own.

"Which possibility do you prefer?"

Lightchaser shot her a glance.

The confusion in her eyes vanished, replaced once more by their usual sharpness.

"They’re both average."

Then she ran off.

Watching the elf leave, Rita turned toward another person trapped within the sighs of BS.

Shadow.Q.

Rita had promised to bring her.

She would not use her lack of combat power as an excuse to leave her behind.

Even though Shadow.Q was only Level 90, Rita was still willing to bring her to the First Epoch for the one and only Adjudicator Game.

What trapped Shadow.Q was also the Battle of BS.

A version without BS Rita.

A dying citizen lay at her feet, staring at her with resentment.

"You lied to me. She never came back."

Just as Rita reached out her hand, Shadow.Q, who had been staring downward, suddenly lifted her gaze.

The sorrow, helplessness, and guilt in her eyes had no time to hide.

But the corners of her lips had already curved upward, as if driven by muscle memory.

Shadow.Q smiled.

"So it’s the Adjudicator. Are you here to wake me up?"

But the smile quickly faded.

She discarded the mask she had hastily put on.

Looking at the Adjudicator before her, she said with a trace of emotion,

"I never expected this to be my nightmare. I thought it would be missing the chance to approach you back then and discuss cooperation."

Rita considered the possibility for a moment.

"Even if you missed the first opportunity, we would have met eventually."

Over the years, only Shadow.Q had managed to maintain friendly relationships with all the powerful individuals who preferred to work alone.

She seemed naturally gifted at dealing with every kind of person.

Smooth and worldly, yet sincere when it mattered.

Eventually, all the most important powerhouses had been entrusted to her.

That answer brought a genuine smile back to Shadow.Q’s face.

She waved as she ran off.

"I’m glad you came back."

...

Only after waking every player who had lingered too long on the bridge did Rita sprint toward its end once more.

But when she arrived, she discovered that all the earlier players were gathered near the entrance.

Surely they weren’t waiting to enter the dungeon together.

Had something happened?

The crowd parted to create a path.

Rita quickly pushed through to the front.

The closer she got, the stranger everyone’s expressions became.

Confusion.

Contemplation.

Bewilderment.

Had they uncovered some secret?

At the end of the bridge stood a door formed entirely from dark gray mist.

Chains could be seen moving within the fog.

"Can’t get in?" Rita frowned.

She had only started the game because she was certain the bridge could reach the First Epoch.

Even if the game rules and objectives still needed to be established after arrival, there was no reason they shouldn’t be able to enter.

Had something gone wrong?

"We can enter," Mistblade explained.

She had been the first to go through and return.

"But the suppression is severe. We revert to the state of Level 1 beginners."

Rita immediately extended a hand through the doorway.

[Warning. You are attempting to invade Exile Zone: Ash Prison.]

Then, as more of her arm crossed the boundary, additional messages appeared.

[Ash Prison defense mechanisms activated.]

[Your SP Divine Talent "Romantic Deviation" has been temporarily reduced to SS Rank.]

[Your SSS Divine Talent "Midnight Exile" has been temporarily reduced to S Rank.]

[Your level is decreasing.]

[Your attributes are reverting.]

[Average value of all four primary attributes reduced to 1000.]

[HP reduced to 64,350.]

[MP reduced to 74,250.]

[Player Relic guaranteed active. Remaining usable magical artifacts reduced to 3.]

[Soul Fire capacity reduced to 30%.]

Not daring to enter completely, Rita withdrew.

The feeling of being weakened in every possible way was awful.

So awful that she didn’t even want to think too deeply about the name Ash Prison or the title Exile Zone.

She could barely tolerate being reduced this much.

Mistblade and the others had been reduced all the way to Level 1.

But she had retained some power.

What made her different?

A moment later, Rita realized the answer.

The New Order within her.

She possessed a new Authority.

She followed her own Order, not the original Order of this star system.

After breaking free from Divine Grace, what represented her inside her consciousness was no longer Order Clock.

It was World Sigh.

With that realization, Rita looked toward Mistblade.

"Would you be willing to follow my Order from now on?"

As she spoke, the phantom image of World Sigh appeared behind her.

Flower Crown Murder petals drifted through the air.

Golden white pages turned one after another before stopping on a single page.

No one could see what was written there.

But everyone knew.

It had to be Snowland.

"I will."

Mistblade answered without hesitation.

They had already come this far.

She had to uncover the secrets of the First Epoch.

Besides, there was nothing left worth missing about the old Order.

As her answer fell, the distant Order Clock rang out for the first time.

Rita closed her eyes and immersed her consciousness into the Authority known as Game Invasion.

If she could seize Authorities...

Why couldn’t she seize the followers of those Authorities as well?

A section of the Bridge of Sighs suddenly erupted with brilliant light.

The radiance shot upward like a meteor.

It arced across the sky before descending upon Mistblade.

Accompanied by the resonant hum of a clock, the phantom image of a golden white book appeared behind her.

Rita told her to try entering again.

A short while later, Mistblade returned.

She looked considerably more relaxed.

"The suppression is still there, but it’s much better."

"My Divine Talent is reduced to A Rank."

"My average attributes are 500."

"I can unseal one item."

"I still have ten points of Soul Fire."

The restrictions remained, but everyone was accustomed to Divine Game’s limitations.

This level was completely acceptable.

Far better than being reduced to a blank Level 1 character.

Rita immediately turned toward the others.

Before she could speak, a Vine wrapped around her wrist and yanked hard.

Deceitful Bloom pulled her over just in time to prevent Lightchaser from grabbing her.

Meeting Lightchaser’s expression, a face that was clearly furious while desperately trying to maintain a mature and composed appearance, Deceitful Bloom raised an eyebrow in delight.

Then she smiled and declared,

"I will too."