[Customer Service Miss Pink Elf]: "@Ryuga, is the war over? What is this 'slaughtering the city'? Has the Black Tide invaded? Are you okay? Do you need me to come over!"
The words "slaughtering the city" were certainly not pleasant to hear.
Although Elysia roughly understood the truth, the other members of the group might not.
She was determined to protect her little boyfriend's positive image.
("(▔□▔)/")
[Snowy Mountain Qingxin Melon]: "Is it the Titans and the Black Tide again?"
When Ryuga first joined the group, it was during a three-way chaotic battle between humans, the Black Tide, and the Titan-kin.
Amphoreus was constantly at war, and the group had more or less grown accustomed to it.
[Desert Reaper]: "No, this time I led the Cerydra Legion and slaughtered another human city-state, 'Olenos'."
[Snowy Mountain Qingxin Melon]: "?"
[Director Furina]: "??"
[Istaroth]: "???"
[Customer Service Miss Pink Elf]: "..."
I've been working so hard to maintain your positive image, and you just go and expose yourself like that?
("(丿○Д○)丿")
[Customer Service Miss Pink Elf]: "You dummy, you have to explain it properly! (Private Message)"
Ryuga instantly realized that Elysia was trying to protect his reputation.
He was moved beyond words.
[Desert Reaper]: "Let me tell you all a story."
[Director Furina]: "A story? I want to hear it."
Furina also knew that Ryuga wouldn't slaughter a city for no reason.
Olenos must have committed some great evil.
[Desert Reaper]: "However, to the sentimental young ladies here, please prepare some tissues beforehand, lest you end up crying your eyes out later."
The girls: "???"
Though puzzled, they did as they were told.
Clorinde, though somewhat confused, pulled some tissues from her pocket.
Wait, isn't today's stage play a comedy?
Could it be that we'll laugh until we cry?
[Director Furina]: "I am Director Furina. In five hundred years, what kind of film have I not made? I have even won the 'Furina Award,' the highest honor at the Film Festival."
Everyone: "..."
[Customer Service Miss Pink Elf]: "Oh, it's actually named after yourself? Hee-hee~ Furina holding the Furina Award trophy to receive the Furina Award... that sounds so interesting."
[Director Furina]: "Ahem, that was just everyone's love for me. When the name was first chosen... oh, never mind. Let's just listen to Ryuga's story."
[Desert Reaper]: "The story begins with tears, so pay close attention."
Ryuga paused for a moment before beginning the tale.
"In the year 3760 of the Light Era, Tribios, the 'Saintess of Janusopolis,' bore the Embers and became a Demigod of Janus to quell the chaos of the world. She passed through the 'Gate of Infinity' and split into a thousand Messengers, spreading the Prophecy of creation across the land of Amphoreus."
[Director Furina]: "A good opening. It feels very grand."
She was suddenly reminded of the prophecy of Fontaine.
[Desert Reaper]: "Since the escape from Janusopolis, over a hundred years have passed. Today, only 113 'Little Tribbies' remain."
What!?
Furina's small hand froze, nearly spilling her popcorn.
Wait, is this how you tell a story?
A depth charge right at the start?
[Director Furina]: "Wait, wait a minute! How are there only 113 left?"
[Customer Service Miss Pink Elf]: "Silly Furina, he said they were escaping from Janusopolis. They would definitely be hunted down."
[Jingliu]: "..."
[Director Furina]: "..."
[Desert Reaper]: "Director Furina, this won't do. There's plenty more to cry about later."
[Director Furina]: "Hmph, are you trying to intimidate me?"
[Desert Reaper]: "Oh? The one who cries later will be a little piggy."
"Trixuan, I know you flew to the front lines of the Black Tide and sent back the latest news, only to die from an arrow shot by a Black Tide creation."
"Trirong, I know you covered the refugees' escape, only to be met with the hatred of the nobles and end up dying under an assassin's dagger."
"Trixiao, I know you escorted lost children and were only one step away from reaching safety. Those bright braids were soaked in a pool of blood; we can no longer braid them or wash them for you."
"The blood of the lambs will not be shed in vain. We have trodden the first path through a field of thorns, hoping that those who come after us will go further than we did."
[Director Furina]: "No! Enough!"
The kind-hearted Furina's eyes were already beginning to well up.
Just the thought of the final moments of the 'Little Tribbies' made her heart ache as if it were being cut by a knife.
Every figure had fallen in a pool of blood.
They died with a smile, for their companions, for others.
Ugh, my nose feels so tingly.
They cursed Ryuga.
When we meet, I'm definitely going to give you a bite.
[Customer Service Miss Pink Elf]: "Waaaah~ Ryuga, you're mean!!"
Elysia's eyes, once full of hope and gentleness, were now soaked with tears, her vision blurred.
Her throat was choked with emotion; she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words.
[Snowy Mountain Qingxin Melon]: "..."
[Istaroth]: "..."
[Jingliu]: "..."
"Trisshai and Trianne agreed to meet in the dense forest, but they were met with a rain of poisoned arrows. Trianne narrowly escaped, but was unfortunately captured by soldiers."
"Trissha chose to throw herself onto the enemy's spear, tightly holding onto the soldier who tried to withdraw his weapon. But we underestimated the King's cruelty; even in death, we could not be allowed to fall into the hands of other city-states."
"Pain dozens of times greater than usual was inflicted upon us."
"This spring, most of us remained forever in the wilderness where the flowers had yet to bloom."
"Goodbye, Trijia."
"Goodbye, Trigong."
"Goodbye, Trimi."
[Director Furina]: "QAQ Waaaah—bad King, bad Ryuga, you're so mean, waaaah. But... what does 'pain dozens of times greater than usual was inflicted upon us' mean?"
[Customer Service Miss Pink Elf]: "Furina, it's because the 'Tribbies' are originally one. They share one heart and mind; as long as one dies, the pain of that death is instantly transmitted to all the remaining 'Tribbies'."
Boom—
The group chat instantly exploded.
Even Istaroth, the Arbiter of Time who had witnessed countless elegies of civilization, felt her fingertips tremble slightly.
The hearts of Jingliu and Skirk, which had long been as cold as ice, were touched as if by ten-thousand-year-old profound iron. As for Yixuan, who missed her sister, she could no longer suppress her emotions, and tears fell down her cheeks like a river breaking through a dam.
The group members, usually calm and self-possessed, completely lost their composure—shocked, grieving, their eyes wide with sorrow.
[Director Furina]: "(＞﹏＜) You mean... the last Tribbie will experience the deaths of 999 sisters and endure the pain of death 999 times?"
[Desert Reaper]: "As much as I'd like to lie to you... yes!!"
Waaaah—
Furina completely broke down.
She pulled out tissue after tissue, wiping away her tears.
But they just wouldn't stop.
Beside her, Clorinde was completely bewildered. She looked at the comedy on the stage, then at her own Hydro Archon. What on earth is going on?
The comedy actors on stage nearly fumbled their lines.
(A comedy can make Lady Furina cry? My acting skills must have reached a new level.)
[Desert Reaper]: "We're reaching the climax, Furina."
[Director Furina]: "I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening!"
[Desert Reaper]: "But what follows is the reason why I had to slaughter the city."
[Director Furina]: "..."
"To my dear Seliose—"
"I'm afraid this is the last time we'll be writing to you."
"Olenos has fallen into a long night. Terrible creatures are constantly emerging from the Black Tide, throwing the entire city-state into chaos."
"At this very moment, I am working hard to help the people here escape."
"We have opened many Hundred-World Gates, teleporting everyone to Okhema, to our sister Tribbie's side."
"Maintaining the Hundred-World Gates is truly exhausting. These past few days, we feel like our bodies have shrunk by several sizes."
"Not to mention, the Lord of Olenos is still hunting us down everywhere."
"But we cannot stop yet, because there are still so many people who need help."
"Sending them to a safe place, away from the clutches of the Black Tide, is something we must do. No matter which sister it was, they would have made the same decision."
"Dear Seliose—have you become a hero?"
"We so hope you succeeded."
"That way, more people will believe in the Prophecy and be willing to unite around it, right?"
"We're a bit tired and want to take a short nap."
"I hope that in our dreams, we can be reunited with Mother and our sisters."
"Missing you... Trissha."
[Customer Service Miss Pink Elf]: "Waaaah~ QAQ, bad Ryuga, bad Lord of Olenos! Slaughter the city! I want to go and slaughter the city!"
To make Elysia say such words shows just how angry she was.
[Snowy Mountain Qingxin Melon]: "Slaughter the city +1."
[13th Sect Master of Mount Yunjian]: "Count me in."
[Jingliu]: "+1"
[Director Furina]: "Lend me your power, I want to go and kill someone."
[Istaroth]: "I'll lend it to you."
To be continued…
Apologies, guys, for some inconsistent updates as of recently. I was really sick last week and I have also been busy stacking some chapters up!
The fic is up on my Patreon as well!
Follow the link and you can find advances 50 chapters up there!
pat reon.com/ReidAstrea