Chapter 1356 1356: 1356 Divine Game: Graveyard of Bones 78

The World Skill and Starsea Skill were much easier to choose.

Rita selected the six-star Starsea skill [Before the Sigh Sounds, Set Sail] and the five-star World Skill [Doomsday Party].

One was essential for carrying worlds across Starsea. The other was her only World Skill.

An eight-star World Skill.

When the next bell tolled, how many worlds would it be able to protect?

A thought surfaced in her mind.

Did Order Clock actually not want Starsea to be completely destroyed?

Otherwise, why would it grant Starsea beings the chance to upgrade World Skills? That was essentially giving something destined to be destroyed the means to protect itself.

And when Order Clock granted rewards, it had clearly reviewed everything she had done in Starsea.

The line "Detected: 779 races have taken refuge in BS" was enough to show that Order Clock knew exactly what she had been doing.

Yet it still gave her these rewards.

Was that hypocrisy, or mercy? Why?

If the invasion sequence existed to let more beings survive through the tolling of the bell, then was Order Clock destroying either Starsea or Quiet Mountain each era also meant to ensure more beings could survive?

Unordered Starsea said every being was like a flame. Once it burned brightly enough, Order Clock would approach and extinguish it.

Did that principle also apply to the domain of order?

Every era, Starsea was reborn like a phoenix. All races revived, every world sprouted again like seeds.

Quiet Mountain, on the other hand, remained peaceful. But aside from replicas, perhaps including them, the number of beings never changed. Only when one died would another be born.

A faint crackling sound snapped Rita out of her thoughts.

She looked at her newly upgraded skills, immediately focusing on her Starsea skill.

[Before the Sigh Sounds, Set Sail] (Starsea Skill ★★★★★★★★): The world belongs to the Adjudicator. If the Adjudicator desires freedom, the world is free. Upon use, you may shrink and move a world at will. During movement, each Starsea day consumes 1 World Sigh. A world held in the Adjudicator's hand cannot be connected to the invasion sequence. When sharing World Skills, their effects will not be weakened. When a world rests in your palm, your skills can affect it, because the world belongs to the Adjudicator. (Only usable by BS Rita)

It was only a few lines.

But Rita read them again and again.

Not because of how powerful it was.

But because of that phrase.

"The world belongs to the Adjudicator."

No longer "If the Adjudicator desires freedom, BS is free."

Now it was "If the Adjudicator desires freedom, the world is free."

Because as long as she chose to hold a world in her hand, that world belonged to her.

At some point, the soul fire at her brow lit up, its flame trailing in the night wind.

She thought of Wildfire again.

The version trapped in a time line, watching people she knew get summoned and killed again and again by another version of herself. Forced to compromise due to weakness and a fading timeline.

Through her, Rita saw her own past.

The girl who crawled under beds, moving cautiously between Zelan and BS.

The one who faced Eclipse with constant vigilance.

The one who could not relax even with a dragon by her side.

The one who believed that without power, emotions would be betrayed, justice could not be upheld, reason would be ignored, everything required compromise, and right and wrong were not hers to define.

Could that version of her ever have imagined today?

Her earlier conversation with BS was not just a warning or intimidation.

It was her Truth or Dare. Truth.

Now, she no longer thought about those things.

She did not fear betrayal.

Anything she wanted to do could be defined as justice.

When she spoke, others would listen.

She was no longer a Wildfire that could be extinguished by a single storm.

"The world belongs to the Adjudicator," she murmured.

It felt like a declaration.

A reminder.

An encouragement to realize the vision she held within Sovereign.

To save Starsea.

Who else was more qualified?

An Adjudicator who had experienced and recorded countless World Sighs. Who had sheltered so many races. Who stood outside the invasion sequence, free of guilt.

When her emotions settled, she checked her divine talent progress.

90 percent.

Just a little more.

Rita suppressed the faint regret and urgency, then looked at her upgraded World Skill.

[Doomsday Party] (World Skill ★★★★★★★★): A Doomsday Party to celebrate our meeting. The voices and emotions of all beings become a shield for the world, protecting and healing it.

Before, it was only voices.

Now, even emotions formed the barrier.

The reward was so generous that Rita could not help but wonder.

Back in that mysterious space, the one who spoke to her.

Was it Unordered Starsea?

Or Order Clock?

[Quiet Mountain has successfully synthesized the third Order Emblem. Order Clock's pendulum resumes movement. Acceleration detected. Estimated arrival in Starsea in 5 days]

The announcement echoed across Graveyard of Bones, snapping Rita back.

She looked at B80.

Seeing she was done, B80 immediately reported, "Both Quiet Mountain and Starsea players' HP caps have dropped into the danger zone. That was the main reason for the earlier disengagement.

"However, after that, QM Frenzied Shark used Coffin Seal to temporarily restore Quiet Mountain players' HP caps to full."

"What ability?" Rita frowned. Mistblade and Maple Syrup also looked over.

"He forcibly extracted his own HP pool and distributed it to the others. He is now in negative HP and has fallen into a dormant state. He will only awaken once his HP recovers naturally. Right now, Quiet Mountain players are taking turns carrying his coffin while hunting scattered Starsea players."

For Quiet Mountain, was forcing Order Clock to strike Starsea early the top priority?

Rita glanced at the number of active players.

Still 17.

As if reading her thoughts, B80 said flatly, "Some players want to go to Quiet Mountain, but not in an ugly way."

Rita pinched the bridge of her nose.

She understood.

They wanted to leave, but not obviously. They wanted to fight first, then go.

But did those still here really care that much about pride?

Were they trying to leave with dignity?

Or were they emotionally unwilling to abandon Starsea, while also wanting their people to survive, causing hesitation in battle and preventing them from giving their all?

Mistblade and Maple Syrup quickly chose their rewards and stood up to return to battle.

Rita followed, but slowed as she walked.

She thought about Fate Strings.

Had it not worked? Or had the clues already appeared, and she simply had not noticed?

Mistblade turned back and asked, "Should we try to stop the pendulum again?"

Rita stopped, eyes bright. "Do you remember the announcement when it stopped last time?"

Mistblade answered seriously, "A minor disorder in order. Order Clock halted for two days."

Rita repeated, "Cause disorder… cause disorder."

Mistblade and Maple Syrup watched her mutter, the light in her eyes unsettling.

Maple Syrup asked, "Did you think of something?"

Rita smiled.

"Smuggling."