Gacha Kingdom Building

Chapter 204 Star Rise

when is it a good time to give up?

i think it's fine to do it once all other options have been exhausted.

unfortunately, this also means fighting to the bitter end.

even if the opponents are stronger and faster... it's no excuse.

there are still plenty of ways to fight back.

there's always a trick or two to pull. one element they might fail to notice until it is too late...

as long as it is possible to outsmart them, there's still hope, even if it looks like an unwinnable battle.

however, when they are not alone...

when they have allies on their side with such technique and precision in their fighting styles that it is impossible not to focus on their every move...

miwen: "cassandra...?"

cassandra: "..."

the answer should be simple.

outnumbered, i try to even the odds.

an ally of my own.

but this time, the sharp-tongued, always quick to make unnecessary comments black sword of mine, was completely unresponsive to my calls.

i held her in my hands like i did ever since she joined us, and yet... her stats weren't being shared with me anymore...

if not for my training without her, this would have been over in the first few blows.

however... the situation was still bleak. i could defend myself, but only barely.

the first strike... then the second... all the way until the fifteenth.

in what felt like a single second i had moved my body in all possible directions, dodging by the skin of my teeth.h.

but all of my effort... the training i have done since i obtained [gacha kingdom building]... the tips and knowledge i got from the girls...

this was all it amounted to.

my assailants were unrelenting. they didn't seem to wear out as much as i did, and their faces were plastered with gleeful yet eerie smiles.

for me, it was a matter of survival where even the slightest mistake would spell the end.

but for them... my struggle to keep up with their assault only made for better entertainment.

fighting back against them... wasn't viable.

there weren't big enough opportunity windows for me to strike back. it took me all i had to dodge the blows coming my way.

they were all too fast, too strong, and too precise... before i could regain my footing properly, i already had to deal with the next strike and the one after that.

there was barely any time to breathe, much less think...

i was starting to be swayed by their rhythm...

and worse, one of them was suspiciously falling behind the others...

i could see it in their eyes. they were provoking me... waiting and calculating the best chance to catch me off guard.

they knew their chance was going to come sooner or later. they didn't need to wear themselves out...

i was already cornered. it was only a matter of time until i showed an opening.

and if i was dumb enough to take their bait...

then that only made the battle quicker.

not even magic could save me...

their mage harassed me with annoying spells, breaking my stance and forcing me into awkward positions.

sublime support, but it didn't end there.

every time i tried to defend myself with a spell... even without chanting... they were ready for me.

as if reading a book, my every move was accounted for as they multi-tasked between harassing me and countering my magic with the perfect element.

with the fistfighting and sword strikes to worry as well, i had no choice but to give up on the magic. i didn't have the luxury of paying attention to any more than i already had in front of me.

suffice it to say, as predicted by my opponents, i eventually slipped up...

i don't think i made any mistakes. i was simply overwhelmed and there was nothing i could do about it.

there was too much coming my way, too quickly...

unfortunately, this was all that they needed to launch an impossible-to-dodge strike.

all i could do was brace myself for it... but i refused to give up.

it was as strong as i expected. once their fists connected to me, i was sent flying...

but that gave me a chance.

that immense impact gave me enough momentum to run at max speed.

i was thrown over a long distance... it was a good headstart...

i hoped i could escape for my life while i still had one...

that hope was quickly shattered.

my chaser was both quick-witted and quick-footed.

they already suspected i would try to pull something off, and the moment i landed, they already prepared themselves to give chase.

no matter how much strength i put into my legs, i could feel them gaining on me. their steps were becoming louder as they approached me, and i was surprised to look back and see how close they already were.

running from them was impossible. leaving my back exposed would guarantee my capture.

however... while i couldn't fight the entire group by myself, now that we had put a good distance, there was a chance for me to strike back.

it was a one on one... and i didn't even need to win. this was the best odds i could hope for.

as long as i could catch them by surprise... grab their arm when they strike and throw them back...

i could buy enough time to escape.

it was my best bet, and i saw a glimpse of victory once they extended their arm to attack me.

however, suddenly as i turned to face them, i felt incredibly sluggish.

a quick glimpse at my status revealed everything i needed to know. two debuffs appeared written there: [decreased speed] and [increased gravity].

miwen: "what? when did-"

i didn't have the time to think or get mad about it.

my arms were too slow for me to react in time... the next thing i knew, my opponent grabbed me by the collar and threw me back into the fold, the sky and the ground flashing before my eyes multiple times until i finally landed on the ground.

miwen: "pfft! you expect me to believe that you of all people-"

cassandra: "hey, hey, hey! let's not do things we will regret, right? i still need that to live!"

somehow, it seems like there's someone even more worried and protective of my son than me.

miwen: "so now you're on my side, huh?"

quite ironic considering how she abandoned me when i was fighting for my survival.

she even went as far as blocking me from getting her stats and skills...

cassandra: "huh? what were you expecting? the girl wants to be pounded, i can relate. i'll always take the side of a girl asking for dick. what is really surprising here is you refusing her."

mia: "oh... so this is what this was all about..."

she... didn't even know?

i was surprised that mia of all people would be on the side of me sleeping with isabella considering she's the leader of the anti-playboy camp, but i suppose this explains...

actually, it does not.

miwen: "why did you attack me if you didn't even know what was happening?"

mia: "what do you mean? i saw them kicking your ass, so i thought it would be fun to join. since licia was attacking you, i figured they must have had a valid reason. maybe you did something so perverted that it crossed a line..."

so she joined the fray against me first, and only then she stopped to think about what might be going on.

and even though she realized she didn't have any clue, she still enjoyed every bit of it...

i can hardly blame her though...

after all, while claire was the most passionate about it, the one who truly started the problem was licia.

miwen: "what gives, licia?"

licia: "i'm keeping a promise. i told isa she should be more confident in herself, and that i would punish anyone who lets her down. i was expecting that to be the prince, but... whatever. i think you have been punished enough for now."

if that's what she did to me, i can only imagine what she would do to someone else...

licia: "look, miwen. you know that i don't really say anything about who you want to be with. but this time, it's a bit of an exception. i'm really cheering for her happiness, so i need you to give me a real reason."

...it's hard for me to complain about that.

i think most of the girls share licia's sentiments. it's not that they don't care about how i feel, but they can't help but be sad and angry for isabella's sake.

if isabella had confessed her love for another guy, only to be turned down... i'd probably be at his throat as well.

i can understand where they are coming from. i also feel like it's a shame. isabella deserves to be happy and live a fulfilling life. and i'd like nothing more for her to realize her love ambitions.

it's just that...

miwen: "you remember why i felt so compelled about this world? it wasn't because of mia. i didn't even know it was the same world as the first event."

licia: "...you said it was a provocation, right?"

correct.

isabella's gift and the way she's called in the event description is a direct jab at how i used to call and think about my sister.

the way she's described... as a complete victim, powerless to do anything on her own...

that's also the reverse of how maya is. she's a girl who will seize the moment and fight for what she believes in no matter the odds, and ultimately, she always finds a way to come out on top.

but i always had this deep desire to help her.

one that i barely could quell as the girl is almost infallible.

the only times i was able to help her were by doing something bad. something she would never be able to do on her own...

the ones responsible for this event... they understood how i felt, and they were using isabella to play with this feeling.

it was a targeted attack. showing they knew everything about me and could use or fulfill my every desire.

even the ones i have long since left behind...

however, even though i knew that...

even though i came to this world prepared for it...

i ended up falling for the trap.

being able to take care of isabella the way i did...

i truly began to see her as the little sister i never had.

unlike all the other girls, she needed my help with everything, and i felt proud of helping her grow step by step into the woman she became.

however, even though i can clearly see her as the beautiful woman she is now...

when it comes to romance... the idea doesn't sit right with me.

i still see her as a girl i want to help and protect.

isabella: "hm... is that so? you could have said all of that before..."

miwen: "yeah, well... it's not like you gave me much space or time to think."

in the end, licia and the others were satisfied once i properly put into words how i felt.

but they also insisted that i should tell it to isabella.

that night, i didn't really have the opportunity. i myself wasn't aware of why i felt so inclined to reject her.

even now, while i do think my reason is valid, i can hardly say it's logical.

isabella and i have no blood relation. she is not my family.

but i think that doesn't really matter...

the only thing that saddens me is that after everything, i'm the one making her unhappy.

i'm sure this is what the ones behind this intended. for me to ironically hurt myself and the one i wanted to protect.

but... i'll make sure they pay for this as well.

isabella: "then, that just means i have to break that image, right?"

miwen: "...eh?"

isabella: "hmph. you thought i'd be sad over this? pfft. nothing ever comes easy to me. thanks to you, i've learned how to do my best to get what i want. so... you should prepare yourself. soon enough i'll make myself your number one."

she was putting up a front.

i could instantly tell.

however, she was also being sincere...

it wasn't enough to sway my feelings one way or another, but... i was proud of her attitude.

i couldn't help but be hopeful that she would realize her wishes.

miwen: "right... i'll be patiently waiting then."