This Life, I Will Be the Protagonist

Unlike her calculated negotiations in the High Tower, where warriors clashed in measured combat, or on Blue Star, where alliances and influence could deflect enemies' focus, the rules here in the World Battleground were entirely different.

Here, everything visible was a resource. The goal was to exploit enemies completely, using every means available to drain them dry before their death.

Hiding strength? Useless.

Negotiation? Irrelevant.

Death as an escape? No. Death was the easiest outcome.

There were no retreats, no compromises, no mutual victories.

If only she had known… But even if she had, what could she have done differently? Every step she had taken was her own choice.

Even at full strength, without the debuff from soul shock, she was no match for Frenzied Shark.

Perhaps the moment she had stolen Mistblade's World Graveyard, her and Nivalis's fates were already sealed.

It felt like karma. She had moved too quickly, entering the game ahead of everyone else, only to be pushed prematurely into a world she wasn't ready for.

When the [Forced Stay] timer hit 10 seconds, the thorns suddenly released Nivalis, as if they had finished draining her dragon blood. They even swept away her shed scales.

Nearly 60% of the scales on Nivalis's back had been stripped, leaving her collapsed on the ground. Her glaring eyes fixed on Frenzied Shark, who grinned at her menacingly.

Rita, sensing danger, immediately stepped in front of Nivalis, shielding her with her body. Before Frenzied Shark killed her, she still had value—as a translator.

Sure enough, a skill's sound cracked through the air behind them, leaving a massive crater to their side. Frenzied Shark had intercepted his own attack.

Rita abandoned her attempts to return Nivalis to the pet space. Instead, she healed her with a skill before carrying her and facing the shark-like menace head-on.

Before she could speak, a sudden impact slammed into her chest. She was flung back into the thorns, coughing up blood as her HP dropped to 0.01%. Nivalis's health mirrored hers.

Such terrifying precision.

Frenzied Shark loomed over them, his voice cold. "Translate these rules for me, and I'll escort you to the next Safe Zone."

Rita said nothing, her silence masking the searing pain in her body. Physical pain paled in comparison to the mental agony. Slowly, she stood, using a skill to erase all traces of her blood on the ground. Then, she walked back to Frenzied Shark.

The [Forced Stay] timer finally ended. Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire

Frenzied Shark sneered, "Trying to act brave? Showing off some pathetic attempt at dignity? Don't tell me you actually believe weaklings have dignity."

Rita's voice was ice. "I'm just in a hurry to take revenge."

At her words, Frenzied Shark's expression shifted dramatically—terror, panic, and shock all at once, as though he had seen something unimaginably horrifying.

But it was too late.

Before she finished speaking, Rita activated her strongest skill:

[I Could Just Steal It]!

This wasn't an ordinary use of the skill. Despite having the option to conserve her ultimate energy, she resolutely burned 2 points of her ultimate reserve to enhance it.

Rita remained composed. She knew exactly what she was doing and the consequences it would bring. But she couldn't endure another second of this torment.

[You have stolen the SSS-tier divine talent: Midnight Exile from player Frenzied Shark. Stealing progress: 67%. Steal interrupted.]

In the next instant, Rita grasped Nivalis's dragon claw and drove it into her own throat, clearing the remaining 0.01% of her HP.

[You have died.] [Extracting death penalty.] Ding—You have lost 7 points of Intelligence. [Do you wish to revive outside the battlefield? Yes/No.] [Yes.] [Select a revival cost—3 S-tier skills or 1 divine talent skill.] [1 divine talent skill.]

Back in her World Battleground recovery room, a list of her divine talents and corresponding skills appeared before her:

[One-Person Party] [God of Food] (incomplete) [Immortal] (incomplete) [Sharpshooter] [Midnight Exile] (new, incomplete).

She selected the fourth skill of [Sharpshooter]:

[Skill 4: I'm Scary Strong Now]: When activated, every arrow, bolt, or bullet you fire is imbued with random elemental magic (ice, fire, or lightning). Consumes 10 mana per second. After each activation, the skill enters a 5-minute cooldown.

Though offensive skills weren't hard to find, this one's practicality couldn't compare to her other passives like [You're Too Weak (Passive)], [Time to Get Serious (Passive)], or the guaranteed critical from [Guaranteed Critical Hit]!

Once selected, the skill dimmed and vanished from her list.

When she reopened her eyes, she found herself on the rooftop of a building in Dark City. It seemed the respawn location was randomized.

[Detected: Black Spring Civilization World Graveyard - Red Airplane. Honor points +10,000.]

Ignoring the notification, Rita immediately used [Happy New Year] to return to Blue Star.

She rushed to the backyard, summoning Nivalis. As the dragon emerged, her body returned to its full size. She collapsed, her flesh bloody and mangled, the gemstone on her forehead dull and lifeless.

Her once radiant, pearlescent scales were now dim and lusterless.

Nivalis weakly said, "I can't use my skills anymore."

Rita carefully used water-based skills to clean the sand and blood from Nivalis's body. Then, she cast every healing skill she had, each in its ultimate-enhanced version.

Under the effects of [The First Step to Making Cotton Candy], Nivalis's HP fully recovered, and her scales began to regenerate. Yet, their dull appearance remained, and she still seemed fragile.

Rita resolved to take Nivalis to Dragon Island.

First, she traveled to Lania KaiaTon Ton Mountain, removing her disguise after leaving the city. She summoned Nivalis and used [A Big World, A Small Me] to shrink her down, carrying her as she flew toward the island.

Nivalis was nearly asleep when Rita began recounting her theft of Frenzied Shark's talent, hoping to lift her spirits.

The mention jolted Nivalis awake. "Really?! You stole his divine talent?"

Rita nodded. "Yes. SSS-tier. Midnight Exile. I only managed to steal four skills."

Her tone was calm. There was no point in hiding it—she had taken the talent right in front of Frenzied Shark.

Besides, a used [I Could Just Steal It] was far safer than an unused one.

[Midnight Exile] (SSS-tier, Incomplete):

Skill 1: Midnight Exile (Passive): After killing a target, your next attack deals triple critical damage. If an attack fails to kill, the next attack deals quintuple critical damage, stacking up to three times. Skill 2: Absurd Story (Passive): Any enemy attacking you experiences unbearable pain and suffers guaranteed damage reflection equal to 100% of the damage dealt (even upon your death). Absurd Effect: A 10% chance to heal 1% of the damage dealt and a 1% chance to heal completely. Reflection damage does not trigger this effect. Skill 3: Bedtime Tale (Passive): You cannot be one-shot killed. Each hit can only take a maximum of 30% of your HP. Skill 4: Ancient Curse: Anything you say becomes a guaranteed curse. However, you must also state a method to break the curse, which will be widely known and retold as a legend. Cooldown: 7 natural days. Only 7 curses can exist at a time. (0/7)