Kiana quickly paid a heavy price for her mockery.
She refused to believe that Bronya could coincidentally spawn near her every single time, choose the exact same route, and always be the first one she encountered, leading to a brutal battle.
"I'll be back... glug glug glug..." Watching her captain sink to the bottom of the sea along with her starter boat yet again, Kiana finally snapped.
She leaped behind Bronya, tapped open her map, and immediately saw the navigation line Bronya had drawn straight across the entire sea map, aimed directly at her.
"Bronya! I knew you were targeting me!!" The fiery blush on the girl's face said more than words ever could. Kiana reached out, grabbed Bronya's expressionless face, and pulled at her cheeks, stretching them into a silly face.
"Pfft—!" Seele peeked over curiously and almost burst out laughing at the sight of Bronya's face, which was so accustomed to this treatment that it looked rather comical.
No, I can't, that's Bronya-oneechan! Mustn't laugh, mustn't laugh...
"The Bronya is not targeting anyone. The Bronya simply dislikes turning and chose this route across the map," Bronya mumbled, her words slurred, but she didn't stop Kiana's retaliation.
Because at that moment, she was busy calculating her revenge against another person who had just been laughing.
"Damn it! This great me will not admit defeat!" Sin Mal bared her shark-like teeth, adjusted her pirate hat with a flourish, then stomped on the mast and pointed forward. "Ram her and sink her!"
Kiana's hands immediately let go. She leaned over Bronya's shoulder, watching intently to see how Bronya would handle Sin Mal's last-ditch, all-in charge.
Her stretched cheeks snapped back into place. Bronya's face felt a little numb, but it was no big deal. Her next move was to turn and run without a moment's hesitation.
Sin Mal and the spectating Kiana were stunned. They watched as Sin Mal was gradually left behind. The more she pushed her engine, the faster her ship sank, until it finally went down with a final "glug glug glug."
"BRONYA!" Sin Mal sprang up even faster than Kiana had, pouncing on Bronya like a fierce tiger and tackling her to the ground.
Seele, who had cautiously approached the battlefield, saw Bronya's fleet sitting silently. After circling for a long time, she tentatively fired a single shot.
And just like that, Bronya's fleet sank. Seele had claimed a very logical first place.
Seele blinked. Looking back, she saw Sin Mal straddling Bronya's waist, her raised hands wiggling menacingly as they slowly descended upon Bronya's forbidden zones.
"Take this, Bronya!!"
"Ngh—!!"
Sin Mal's fingers mercilessly tickled Bronya's ribs. While Bronya didn't burst into the expected peals of laughter, her face turned bright red as she squirmed wildly under Sin Mal, trying to escape her grasp.
Thanks to the enhancement from the Awakening Keystone, Bronya's strength was far greater than Sin Mal's. Before long, Sin Mal was thrown off and pinned to the ground in a reversal.
Sin Mal fell silent for a moment, a single drop of sweat trickling down her forehead.
"Bronya, actually, we could..."
"The Bronya accepts no negotiations," Bronya declared, a fierce glint in her eyes. Then, without mercy, she placed her hands on Sin Mal. "Accept the Bronya's retribution!"
"Wai—bwahahaha! Hahahaha—!! Wait—! Don't—hahahaha!!" Sin Mal's laughter held no infectious joy; instead, it sent a chill down one's spine.
The usually domineering Sin Mal was now as helpless as a tormented kitten. Seele and Kiana watched the battle for the title of king of the orphanage, clicking their tongues in amazement.
I guess only Bronya can bully Sin Mal like this...
Just then, the door opened, and Mei walked in anxiously with a group of people.
"Shu." Mei went straight to him. Shu looked up, nodded, and put away his phone.
Seeing Shu, who had been engrossed in his phone all day, actually put it down, Kiana instantly understood that something big was happening.
Bronya also stopped tormenting Sin Mal and looked up at the door.
Sin Mal, her hair a mess and her face flushed, was still catching her breath. She didn't even get up, just tilted her head back to look quizzically at the entrance.
In her upside-down world, Sin Mal suddenly spotted a familiar military uniform. Her heavy breathing stopped.
"Are you Shu, from the Fire Moth?" a mature female voice asked. Shu, now standing, nodded and extended a hand to the blonde woman in military attire.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you today, Ms. Cocolia."
Cocolia's defensive line encircled the entire Mediterranean coast. There was no way Shu's train, parked in a coastal area, could have escaped her notice.
Upon seeing the Fire Moth logo on the train, Cocolia had immediately deduced that their destination was her orphanage.
So, she hastily arranged for a vehicle to return herself. Her subordinates, receiving the news almost as quickly as she did, soon found her and rushed back with her.
Cocolia wore her signature military greatcoat, her sharp gaze unabashedly sweeping up and down Shu's form. When she saw his youthful face, Cocolia frowned slightly.
She didn't even try to hide it, frowning directly at him. However, after meeting his gaze, a satisfied expression returned to her face.
"Truly, heroes are often young," she praised, shaking his hand firmly. "It's only been about a month since you set out, right? With no supplies along the way, it must have been hard on you all."
Shu wanted to reply politely that it was nothing, but after thinking about everything they had encountered on their journey, he couldn't bring himself to say the words.
"I don't like to waste time. Everyone who has a say in matters here is with me. Let's go. We'll talk," Cocolia said, swinging her greatcoat around and moving to leave with the swiftness of a storm.
Shu hesitated. He was good at being the supporting act, but he wasn't skilled at being the lead negotiator. Even talking with an AI could make him break out in a cold sweat, let alone facing someone as obviously strong-willed as Cocolia.
"Don't worry, I'm here," Mei said, stepping up beside Shu and giving him a reassuring nod.
Shu let out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness he wasn't alone.