[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist":3,"chapter-this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-chapter-1397":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","This Life, I Will Be the Protagonist",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1533208,1991,"Chapter 1397 Adjudicator Game: Game Invasion 2","this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-chapter-1397",1397,"\u003Cp>One figure after another leapt from the ship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the glow of the Order Clock, they sprinted down the Bridge of Sighs wrapped in pale golden light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Order Clock shone so brightly that from afar the players appeared as little more than dark silhouettes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like prisoners escaping beneath moonlight, running toward somewhere far away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita’s warning that \"everything seen and heard on the Bridge of Sighs is an illusion\" had not been meaningless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This bridge was built from countless World Sighs, supported by the surviving worlds left behind after every epoch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It carried immense sorrow and regret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anger and unwillingness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Were sighs truly all that remained of these worlds?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was hatred too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why did we have to die?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why did this happen to us?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Survivors of shattered worlds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Great rulers who abandoned their homelands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After leaving your worlds behind, did you ever think of your people again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mistblade had been running at full speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could still see BS Rita ahead of her, close enough to touch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the blink of an eye, the bridge beneath her abruptly split apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A teenage three tailed Mistblade stood before her, blocking the path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So this was the illusion Rita had warned them about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mistblade stopped and stared at her younger self.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young Mistblade looked back at her quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You said you would rebuild Snowland.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was only a statement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet it was also an accusation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mistblade found herself unable to answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had asked herself this question countless times over the years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time she counted the Snowland fragments she had collected, this sentence echoed in her heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Again and again, she questioned whether she had truly been giving everything she had toward the vow she made in her youth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cicada once said that the moment Beacon shattered, she had already ascended Dawn’s throne in her heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Years later, she fulfilled the oath she made as a child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what about herself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mistblade had once reached Rank 19.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the higher she climbed, the more she saw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The longer she sat upon the throne, the colder and more rational her heart became.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rebuilding Snowland was not the correct choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What future could a Snowland belonging only to the Moonfoxes possibly have against future invasions?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The best option had always been to remain within Lania Kaia and seek stronger allies alongside the Undead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every second of every day she wanted to rebuild Snowland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That dream burned through her heart day and night like molten lava flowing through her soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But whenever she sat upon the throne, that burning heart cooled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not the right time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So she waited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She waited for Lania Kaia to destroy No Light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To destroy Forest Sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She waited until she obtained a World Skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until the final fragment of Snowland drifted into Nuclear Flash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until the Moonfoxes relocated to BS.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did she finally reclaim a tiny fragment of Snowland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had once been proud of her rationality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But over the years, that same rationality wounded countless people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in the end, it wounded herself too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mistblade lowered her gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking into the eyes of her younger self, she spoke hoarsely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes. I said I would rebuild Snowland.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had never understood why Maple Syrup had been so desperate to rebuild Forest Sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reckless. Impulsive. Unwilling to consider consequences.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mistblade herself possessed a World Skill and still hesitated to rebuild Snowland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Maple Syrup, who did not even possess a single World Skill, rushed ahead without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What had Maple Syrup said back then?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I want old owlfolk to die in Forest Sea. I want newborn owlfolk to grow up in the real Forest Sea.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I can lead Forest Sea to invade other worlds and accumulate World Skills. I can protect Forest Sea.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Maple Syrup, you’re too impulsive.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mistblade, you’re too rational.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her heart was no longer controlled by personal likes or dislikes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But somewhere along the way, it also stopped being moved by youthful passion and anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had fought so hard to stop the Moonfox clans from dwindling further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had fought so hard to erase the fear in their eyes and bring back their smiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She did not want the Moonfoxes to live under the terror of war again just for the sake of rebuilding Snowland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could afford to lose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Moonfoxes could not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So she delayed it again and again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She found endless excuses to tell herself not to rush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She even sealed most of her own power and deliberately suppressed her strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young Mistblade shouted:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Coward... coward!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mistblade slowly knelt down on one knee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She reached out, wanting to pull her younger self into an embrace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m sorry...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cold hand suddenly seized her wrist and pulled upward, stopping her movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why are your eyes all watery?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BS Rita’s helpless but lighthearted voice sounded before her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next second, Mistblade stumbled forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her younger self shattered apart like glass as she was dragged back into reality and into Rita’s presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita looked into those deep green eyes clouded with tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She did not expose her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, she tugged Mistblade forward a few more steps, then gently pushed her ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mistblade, run.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Run out of Snowland’s sighs.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t stand inside the sighs and sigh with them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mistblade took two unsteady steps forward from the push, then turned back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita looked behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the Bridge of Sighs, every few pages apart, players stood frozen in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trapped by versions of their former selves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had nothing to do with courage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing to do with strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita turned back with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"People carrying too many responsibilities and dreams just can’t run very fast, huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, she began running back toward the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Toward the trapped players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She waved at Mistblade while retreating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mistblade, you’re not a coward.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re just too afraid to lose when it comes to Snowland.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mistblade could lose to Maple Syrup in order to comprehend her divine talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could calmly accept defeat at the hands of BS Rita, someone far weaker than herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Moonfoxes were not without pride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was simply that every last ounce of her competitive spirit belonged solely to Snowland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her pride shattered on the same day Snowland did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, victory and defeat outside of Snowland no longer stirred her heart at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I can only turn back and pull you forward this once.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you ever have to cross this bridge again, I hope you’ll remember.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There’s Snowland in BS too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After saying that, Rita turned and ran toward Forest Sea without looking back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maple Syrup, Pine Bloom, and Peach Crown were somehow standing side by side in a daze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mistblade stared at BS Rita one final time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ll wait for you in the First Epoch.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she turned and sprinted toward the far end of the bridge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mistblade had been rendered speechless by her younger self’s question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Maple Syrup was equally unable to answer the accusations of her own people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Have you ever regretted it? Did you ever think that I was afraid too?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you know how many owlfolk feared not the Undead or the Moonfoxes, but you, Maple Syrup?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They say your existence kept the owlfolk from panicking after joining Lania Kaia.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But who’s going to pity me, the one permanently buried in Forest Sea moments before the war ended?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maple Syrup could refuse to apologize to Autumn Deer forever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the owlfolk...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Maple Syrup!\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1250,"2026-06-06T06:15:33.929Z",1,"novelbin.me","6e96fcf9d6ff956d2c986cbc7e61aabe31b23fd2a70036d42717557bd447dd56","this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-chapter-1398","this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-chapter-1396",1404,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthis-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-cover.jpg"]