This Life, I Will Be the Protagonist-Chapter 1219: Divine Game, Divine Instruction 33

After the battle began, Rita, Dawn Cicada, and the others kept sneaking glances at Lightchaser.

Ash Cinders, who knew about Lynx Duke, even ran alongside Lightchaser, fighting while observing her up close like an overzealous fan.

Each attack could only take away 1 HP. A mechanic like this was incredibly friendly to an assassin type like Lightchaser. Her daggers blurred into afterimages, the constant clang of weapon clashes never stopping. Her HP bar was still full.

She was still using daggers, but her combat style had clearly changed. It was not just that she had grown stronger. Certain habits in her attacks had shifted.

To others, the difference might be subtle. But for someone as proud as Lightchaser, it was monumental. It meant she acknowledged that another style of attack was superior to her original habits. Otherwise, she would never have changed.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Ash Cinders’ rather obvious scrutiny.

Lightchaser smiled. It was not a warm smile. There was even a hint of provocation.

"Who are you looking for?"

Ash Cinders smiled back. "You."

Then she returned her full focus to the fight.

Despite the changes in her combat style, just as her student had said, Lightchaser was still Lightchaser. Not Lynx Duke.

Hearing that ambiguous "You," Lightchaser’s expression eased slightly.

What they knew, how could she not know? She likely knew more.

When her student was little, she used to say Lightchaser was the most annoying elf in the universe. That was only because she had never seen the world. If she had known Lynx Duke, she would have realized that was the real answer.

Lightchaser sidestepped several simultaneous strikes. She would rather give up an attack opportunity than take damage.

Healing skills were disabled in this game. Once injured, one could only wait. And HP regenerated at a rate of 1 point every ten minutes. There was no telling whether there would be rest time between rounds. She would not play recklessly.

Even so, though healing was useless, she had tied a Doormat Balloon to her waist ornament. It served as a minor distraction.

A quick glance across the battlefield. One, two, three... eleven Doormat Balloons floated about. Clearly, others had the same idea.

With attributes equalized, mana limited, and no healing allowed, players who had climbed the rankings purely through time accumulation were eliminated swiftly. Like the tide receding, revealing what was real.

Those who had lost their ambition could not seize the opportunity to learn from gods.

For top tier fighters, this round was not difficult. Foolishness’s students were among the quickest to enter combat rhythm. Though most of the past thirty days had been theory and creation, the constant surprise attacks from the golden orbs had kept them battle ready at all times.

Rita’s longsword pierced the final opponent’s weak point.

The rune above her head vanished. She was teleported to the glowing edge of the clock dial, signaling advancement.

She planted her sword in the ground and continued observing the battlefield.

There were fewer than ten thousand players in this Divine Instruction match. Each fragmented clock platform held just over nine hundred players. That meant at least three quarters would be eliminated in this first round alone.

Almost at the same time she finished, Lightchaser appeared beside her.

The two watched the remaining battlefield.

Rita spoke first. "I heard you’ve become very strong. Our teacher told us to be careful of you." She had intended to observe Lightchaser’s fight after advancing, but Lightchaser had cleared just as quickly.

Lightchaser corrected, "Stronger."

"..."

Rita fell silent. Lightchaser had that talent. She could kill a conversation instantly.

But after barely ten seconds, Rita could not hold back.

"When you passed by the lakeside under the bridge back then... why did you want to take me away?"

A flicker of helplessness crossed Lightchaser’s brow.

From Rita and Ash Cinders’ earlier conversation, she already knew her student had seen Lynx Duke’s final moments. She also knew why Rita was asking.

If this were her younger self, she would not care about such things. But the grown Rita cared deeply whether someone’s kindness had ulterior motives or outside influences.

Lightchaser did not harshly correct this emotional weakness the way she would correct a combat mistake.

Her tone softened.

"At the time, I wanted to find Wail a student. So she wouldn’t be bored."

Even as she said it, Lightchaser wondered if she was being too gentle.

"Then why did you keep me?"

"...Don’t push it."

Her patience evaporated instantly.

"Did you forget? You bought yourself and insisted on staying by my side! I couldn’t chase you away! You even said, ’I’m your destined student.’" 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"..."

Rita quieted down.

But she still shot Lightchaser a distinctly displeased look.

Then she pulled out Wrathful Moon and examined the lantern suspiciously.

The moon inside flickered.

It conveyed its thoughts.

"You dug me out yourself and worked so hard upgrading me."

Rita expressionlessly stuffed the talkative lantern back into the gacha machine.

She quieted down.

But Lightchaser had a question of her own.

"Did Lynx Duke lose badly?"

She knew the facts. Lynx Duke had sent a fragment of consciousness into Starsea, sealed a trace into Wrathful Moon, and burned her last soul flame attacking Quiet Mountain’s Lynx Duke.

But those were Lynx Duke’s own words. And Lynx Duke had a habit of embellishing.

Rita shook her head immediately.

"Not badly. She even predicted the SS Future. What will happen in this era."

Lightchaser’s expression sharpened. She withdrew her gaze from the battlefield and looked directly at her student.

"What future?"

Rita raised her hand to her lips, curling her fingers in a conspiratorial gesture.

A very serious secret kind of gesture.

Lightchaser bent slightly, bringing her ear closer. Even her brows furrowed at the gravity of the moment.

Rita whispered,

"She said that many years later, when Wrathful Moon finds another being like her who willingly walks into this world’s prison, that will be the moment Quiet Mountain falls into chaos."

Then she added proudly,

"I’ll tell you secretly. You can tell others. I’m the one Lynx Duke predicted."

Lightchaser: "..."