This Life, I Will Be the Protagonist

[Shadow.Q]: Don't worry, I'm fine. Although, there were a couple of idiots who suggested I donate the Obsidian Wings to the Research Department for study. But most of the group still has brains. I suspect there will be a few more expeditions into High Tower soon.

[Rita]: They think that's a good idea? Using High Tower to train troops?

[Shadow.Q]: Seems like it.

Rita wasn't too surprised. That was likely the approach all 11 Alien Factions were taking. However, they were cautious. The 11 Factions were both greedy for High Tower's secrets and wary of its dangers. They wanted to unlock its mysteries, copy its abilities, and reap its benefits—without sacrificing too much of their own elites. They feared losing valuable personnel with no return.

On the other hand, Oak Owls probably didn't have such concerns. Their method of using High Tower was more brutal: sending people in and letting them either come out as single-combat specialists or lose their sanity. If they succeeded in reaching the tower's summit, their spirits were revived with unmatched strength—a process the Oak Owls regarded as an ultimate honor.

[Shadow.Q]: By the way, I've reported the discovery that dungeon light curtains can be closed manually. I listed it as something you, Sanchez, and I uncovered together. We should be getting a reward for it soon.

[Rita]: Still the same Shadow.Q as always.

[Shadow.Q]: Is that a compliment?

[Rita]: Of course. I could never do what you do. But I won't mock you for your selflessness.

[Shadow.Q]: I'm not selfless. Actually, I've been considering skipping out on helping Eclipse Vanguard collect certain items. If we keep cooperating, can we bring Sanchez along?

[Rita]: Does it have to be her?@@novelbin@@

[Shadow.Q]: Huh? Are you two not getting along? But she said you're her closest friend, like family to her.

[Rita]: ...

[Shadow.Q]: Okay then. The real reason I mentioned her is because of her S-tier skill, [101 Dalmatians]. It lets her quickly locate specific items she needs. If we hand the hard parts to her, we can just slack off and make token efforts.

Interesting skill, Rita thought. She didn't have the time or energy to gather such items herself. Without hesitation, she messaged Jameson, assigning him a new task: collect a few sets of specific materials for her, regardless of their level.

However, she didn't outright reject Shadow.Q's proposal. It was worth testing whether single-player dungeon light curtain closures differed from multiplayer ones in terms of difficulty or rewards.

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After wrapping up her conversation with Shadow.Q, Rita immediately inspected the weather skill stones Eclipse Vanguard had sent over. Originally, she had asked for stones that could predict the weather, but Eclipse Vanguard, in their generosity, had provided stones that could change it.

[What Kind of Weather Do You Want? I'll Make It Myself]:

Upon activation, this skill allows the user to alter the weather in their immediate area for the next hour. During the first minute, the type of weather is determined by the element of any skill the user casts into the sky.

So, if she cast a lightning-based skill, like [Hundred Thousand Volts], it would bring about at least a thunderstorm, if not outright lightning strikes.

However, the one-hour duration wasn't nearly enough for her. At most, it would let her charge 10 light feathers with lightning energy. But her orange-red wings had 3,600 feathers in total.

In High Tower, Maple Syrup had helped her complete her wing transformation in just a month. Rita now suspected this was due to an incomplete method or process.

If not for the need to synchronize her soul with Maple Burn and to manipulate her into developing dependency—just like Zoey's yearning to become a "Maple Mu"—Maple Syrup probably wouldn't have spent even a month helping her.

Rita didn't waste any time. She sent Nivalis off to deliver the custom "1-Missing-3 Mahjong Machines" she had been rushing to finish, ignoring Nivalis's reluctant, step-by-step departure. Once alone, she entered a dungeon, cleared it, and locked it down to use as her training ground.

She even brought out Soul Catcher to pass the time.

[Truth or Dare?]

Rita chose: Dare.

The task: "Propose to your enemy."

What kind of sick joke is this? Did Miyaas go insane because of this thing? Is this thing made from Miyaas's actual hand bone? Or is Miyaas just a twisted psycho?

Rita skipped the dare.

[A Break of Ties (1/1)]: Choose two targets. This skill stirs up their dissatisfaction with one another. If the targets have no grievances, they will discover each other's most closely guarded secrets over the next three days.

The skill had limited usefulness. Deep bonds without hidden grievances would make it ineffective. Even if secrets were revealed, they might not necessarily be damaging. Still, it wasn't a bad skill—just situational.

By the time she finished, it was late at night. She had used 10 weather skill stones, igniting 100 light feathers on one of the shortest wing bones. That section of her orange-red wings now looked more vivid and realistic.

The fiery feathers shimmered with a soft, downy texture, exuding a delicate weightlessness that made them resemble actual feathers.

But Rita was utterly drained—physically and mentally. Her body was drenched in sweat, her hands caked with dirt from clawing at the ground in pain, and her appearance was a mess.

When Nivalis returned, Rita had just finished cleaning up. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, she was imbuing her bullets with enhancements using [12-Month Interest-Free].

The moment Nivalis emerged from her pet space, a strong fruity aroma hit Rita's nose. Before she could ask, Nivalis handed her a peach.

Rita took a big bite and asked, "Peaches? In December?"

Nivalis, also holding a peach, plopped down next to her and took small bites as she explained:

"Muffinlia grew them. They also want to buy the rights to sell my anti-luck mahjong machines. They think it'll be a hit. But I don't want to mass-produce them myself. I'm thinking of selling them the recipe. How much do you think I should charge?"

"What do you want in return? Gold, gems, or engineering recipes?"

"Engineering recipes, I guess."

"Alright. We'll go see them in the morning. We can grab breakfast on the way."

"You're so busy. Won't this waste your time?"

"Time spent with you isn't a waste."

Nivalis froze mid-bite, turning to look at Rita. Rita, too, seemed to freeze, an awkward expression spreading across her face.

Nivalis immediately pointed at her and shouted, "Aha! I knew it! You're madly in love with me, head over heels obsessed! You just won't admit it!"

"…" Rita handed her a specially crafted dragon dish she had made earlier, prepared with [Century-Old Brand] seasoning.

The meal scored 96 points, and its rich, tantalizing aroma instantly silenced Nivalis.

The next morning, they visited the Mahjong Guild. Rita negotiated on Nivalis's behalf, selling the recipe for the "Judgment-Free Mahjong Machine" to the Nameless Ones guild. In return, they agreed to dedicate 10% of all future profits from the machine to purchasing and sending engineering recipes to Nivalis.

Unable to resist, the two stayed at the guild for hours playing mahjong before heading home.

On the way back, Rita gifted Nivalis a special engineering notebook she had once bought—a book that granted a chance to learn unknown engineering recipes while reading.

"Luck doesn't matter in mahjong," Rita muttered. "My luck stat is maxed out, and I still never win!"

Nivalis hugged the notebook tightly, her expression complicated. She wanted to point out that Rita had plenty of winning hands, but her skill at playing was just abysmal.

Still, gratitude silenced her. She clutched the notebook and let it slide.