This Life, I Will Be the Protagonist-Chapter 495 - 494: Divine Game – Chaotic Restaurant 15

When TingoJE typed a "1" in the chat, Marmang-Crab turned to Rita with a "See? Told you" kind of look.

But after replaying his own words in his head, the crab frowned, dissatisfied. Describing Lania Kaia Maple Syrup as a fearsome existence felt too dramatic, even though his combat power was actually two tiers higher than hers.

After a moment of thought, he shook his head and rephrased.

"Calling it 'fear' is too shallow. That word doesn't fully capture how people feel about Lania Kaia Maple Syrup. The correct term should be 'reverence.' Yes, reverence—it's rare to see.

"Take Winter Sea Frenzied Shark, for example. He's far more brutal than Maple Syrup. People fear him, but they don't revere him. The respect they give him is nothing more than the kind of polite acknowledgment you offer a powerful being.

"But with Lania Kaia Maple Syrup, it's different.

"She's only 15th-tier. She jokes around in the chat all the time. She even pretends to be weak like it's a joke. And yet… everyone still reveres her.

"I don't know exactly how she does it.

"But if I had to form a team, I'd want her leading it.

"Even TingoJE, who's 18th-tier, who never shuts up, who has killed her multiple times, deep down—he feels the same way.

"Right, TingoJE?"

[Tingo·JE]: MARMANG-CRAB, SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY!

[Marmang·Crab]: 1~~~~

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And just like that, they started arguing again.

But Rita fell into deep thought.

Even defiant enemies would willingly accept her leadership?

Then why, during the Diamonds Mine battle, had Maple Syrup needed to push her forward?

If Maple Syrup truly had such a commanding presence, those players would've followed her without needing Rita's Ancient Curse.

Then… why?

Was she teaching her something?

Or was she sending a signal to the battlefield— that BS Rita could be used by Lania Kaia Maple Syrup?

Rita's mind spiraled.

She couldn't understand Maple Syrup's motives.

It hit her all at once.

Perhaps, the vague mystery surrounding Maple Syrup was exactly why—despite her kindness and Rita's gratitude—Rita's wariness had never lessened.

"Reverence."

Marmang-Crab had chosen his words carefully—and he was right.

Both Pine Bloom and Maple Syrup were doing the same thing to her.

They were both trying to tame her.

But even after realizing this, Rita felt no humiliation.

She hadn't submitted.

So there was no anger.

Her first thought wasn't resentment—it was learning.

Learning how they did it.

Because in the World Battlefield, Maple Syrup was exactly the kind of leader Rita aspired to be.

Someone who, when she stepped forward, commanded the entire battlefield.

Could she reach that level?

Could she master the delicate balance of power?

How had Maple Syrup done it?

Was it her strategic mind? Her decisiveness? The unshakable force she carried in battle? Or her ruthless methods?

For the first time in a while, Rita thought of Zoey—who had abandoned BS to follow Maple Syrup to Lania Kaia.

What was she doing now?

Was she learning to lead, to command?

Had she gotten what she wanted?

Was she still lying to herself?

Did she ever think about BS anymore?

Was she relieved? Or did she regret it?

Had she read the letter Rita sent? Had she seen Rick's life now?

Would she be angry that Rick was living in Lopez's so-called luxury?

Or would she see through the facade—see through her own hatred for Rick—see how she had always suppressed him as his older sister?

Everyone else was getting stronger.

The world was shifting.

Ordinary people were rising, grabbing power, shaping their own destinies.

Only Rick—with his SS-Tier talent—was rotting away in a gilded cage.

And the one person who had the power to set him free…

Had done nothing.

Instead, she wrote letters to someone who might not even care anymore.

Or maybe…

Maybe Zoey no longer cared about anything related to BS at all.

—BOOM.

Her thoughts were interrupted.

Marmang-Crab was still arguing with TingoJE, but at the same time, it fulfilled its promise—asking the octopus boss what happened to players turned into ingredients.

Maybe because Marmang-Crab had called it "boss," the octopus was in a good mood and answered:

"An ingredient is an ingredient."

The words were so simple, they almost felt dismissive.

But there was something ominous in them.

TingoJE had been busy fighting with Marmang-Crab, but the second he saw that message, he immediately started reaching out to other players who had been turned into food.

Maybe it was B80234615's bad luck affecting her again.

Maybe the moment the octopus boss reluctantly chose her, this outcome was inevitable.

But just 20 minutes before registration closed—

The octopus boss stopped again.

This time, its tentacle pointed toward a dark corner near a restaurant entrance.

A mist rolled in.

And from the shadows—

A player with the [Chef] job title was revealed.

Minutes later.

The octopus had killed the chef's teammates and wrapped its tentacles around the jellyfish-like player, dragging him over to Rita's side.

12th-tier.

Marmang-Crab opened its mouth to speak—

But Rita moved first.

[Temporary Reset – Full Stat Allocation to Intelligence.]

[Air Blade!] — [Air Blade!] — [Air Blade!] — [Air Blade!]

2000+ INT multiplied by critical damage multipliers—

5x Critical.

25x Critical.

125x Critical.

The alien didn't even have time to speak.

Its jellyfish-like body exploded into delicate ribbons—sliced apart like a squid flower.

Marmang-Crab and TingoJE, mid-argument, fell into complete silence.

Even the octopus boss hesitated.

Rita slowly lowered her right hand, still poised from casting Air Blade.

B80234615: "Why didn't you use both hands?"

Rita: "I was afraid you'd say I was doing an APT dance."

B80234615: "......"

Rita: "Not funny? I thought you'd get it. Did your emotion sensors activate?"

B80234615: "That player is dead."

Rita: "Fantastic. That's exactly what I wanted to see."

B80234615: "…"

She was still joking with B80234615, but in reality, her body was tense, waiting for the octopus boss's reaction.

She was fully prepared for it to kill her—or even turn her into food.

But the worst outcome…

Wouldn't be worse than having two [Chefs] in the same team.

Marmang-Crab finally snapped out of his shock.

"You—why did you kill him immediately?! The game never said we couldn't have two chefs on the same team!"