"I... I am truly so scared..."
Her final line of defense completely shattered, Yuno could no longer maintain that tough exterior.
She threw herself into Rover's arms, sobbing softly like a lost child. "I don't want to disappear... I don't want to be forgotten by everyone... I don't want Augusta to be left all alone..."
"Wuuwuu... but I don't know what to do... Rover... what should I do..."
Rover gently embraced her trembling body, letting her tears soak his collar.
He could feel the immense fear and helplessness of the girl in his arms. It was the truest trembling of a young soul burdened with too many responsibilities and heavy prophecies.
"Leave it to me," he promised in a low voice, steady enough to set one's heart at ease. "Leave considering the worst-case scenario to me. You just need to believe that I will find a path where you don't have to disappear."
"I will never give up on anyone ever again. This is for your sake, and for my own."
"Remember, you are not alone, Yuno."
Under his comfort, Yuno's cries gradually subsided, leaving only very soft sobs.
Leaning against his chest, as if having found a harbor to temporarily anchor in, her tightly strung nerves finally relaxed a bit.
After a while, having calmed down slightly, Yuno looked up from Rover's embrace somewhat embarrassedly, her cheeks slightly red.
She stood up and said softly, "...Follow me."
She led Rover through several corridors and into the main hall of the Quadrangle Hall.
This place was relatively intact. A massive, ancient mural was painted across the wall.
The contents of the mural were awe-inspiring:
On the right side of the painting was the figure of a hero entirely shrouded in blazing flames. Holding a sharp sword, the figure stepped upon a defeated monster, followed by cheering crowds, symbolizing light and victory. On the left side was the endlessly churning Black Tide composed of dark, murky blackness—ferocious and terrifying, representing despair and destruction.
However, the most eye-catching part of the entire mural was the vast, abrupt expanse of blank space in the middle.
"This is the vision prophesied collectively by generations of Oracles," Yuno's voice carried a hint of ethereality and reverence. "It foretells the future of the Seven Hills—a Hero King will be crowned during a great war, leading the people to defeat the Black Tide and usher in a bright future. But..."
She reached out her hand, her fingertips lightly grazing over that expanse of blankness. Her tone grew confused and bewildered: "...Even exhausting all our efforts, we could not foresee what the scene in the middle is. Who is crowned? How are they crowned? What is the process of victory? Everything is blank."
She turned her head to look at Rover, a complex light shining in her azure eyes: "The Oracles believe that everyone's fate is long preordained. It can be glimpsed, but it is difficult to change, unless..."
"Unless that person's fate itself is 'blank'," Rover finished for her.
"Exactly," Yuno nodded, looking at him with burning eyes. "Being a blank means being unable to be prophesied, unable to be preordained, and it also means... infinite possibilities."
"And you, Rover, you are that 'Blank Person'. This is also why... from the moment I met you, I couldn't help but want to get close to you, believe in you, and even... give this to you."
Seeing Rover wearing her Moonstone bracelet on his right hand, she touched the matching bracelet on her own wrist, a blush rising on her face. "Of course... saying it now might be a bit embarrassing..."
Her voice lowered, carrying a rare trace of shyness and candor. "Perhaps... perhaps deep down, I still didn't want to just disappear like that... I wanted to leave behind an anchor, a hope... hoping that even if I truly am gone, that 'Blank Person' might, just might, have a slim chance of finding me back from the void..."
She dropped all her defenses, revealing her truest and softest side.
Looking at her slightly flushed cheeks and moist eyes, listening to her near-confession-like words, Rover's heart stirred.
The atmosphere in the hall became somewhat delicate and intimate. Just as he was about to speak...
"Oh? It seems I've come at a bad time?"
A slightly frivolous young male voice suddenly rang out from the entrance of the hall, shattering the rare tranquility.
Yuno bounced away from Rover like a frightened rabbit. Her face instantly frosted over, and she glared at the newcomer, feeling both ashamed and furious.
Standing at the entrance was a handsome, tall young man with blond hair, wearing a magnificent Roman-style skirted armor. A confident smile hung on his lips, but the depths of his eyes carried a hint of scrutiny and competitiveness.
"Avidia!" Yuno snapped his name, her tone full of impatience. "The Quadrangle Hall is a heavily restricted area of the Seven Hills. Who permitted you to enter without authorization?"
The man named Avidia chuckled softly. Striding into the hall, his gaze first swept over Yuno's slightly red eyes and somewhat messy hair, then landed on Rover with obvious appraisal. "Hearing that a powerful foreign reinforcement has arrived, I naturally had to come see for myself."
"After all, concerning the battle for the Hero King that dictates the future of the Seven Hills, learning more about a potential competitor is always a good thing, isn't it?"
He deliberately emphasized the word "competitor".
"Avidia, the star gladiator pushed forward by the Senate," Yuno suppressed her anger and introduced him coldly to Rover, her tone filled with disdain. "He claims to have accomplished the heroic feat of 'crossing the Bottom of Manes four times'."
"Those lords in the Senate are counting on him to be crowned as the Hero King, so he can challenge Augusta's authority and hinder her reforms."
Avidia wasn't angered by Yuno's sarcasm. Instead, he smiled confidently. "Lord Oracle is mistaken. The position of Hero King concerns the survival of the Seven Hills; naturally, it should be held by the one with the most power."
"I respect Governor Augusta's strength, but her resonance power is weak after all. Moreover, reforming the arena and weakening its martial spirit—how is that a way to deal with the Black Tide?"
"True heroes are born in the trials of blood and fire! And I, Avidia, am standing here precisely because I have experienced the ultimate trial of the Bottom of Manes!"
He looked at Rover, his tone carrying provocation: "So this is the legendary champion of the current gladiatorial tournament? It seems Governor Augusta rates you quite highly. However, the competition for Hero King does not rely on opportunism or... winning people over."
He cast a pointed glance at Yuno.
Yuno immediately shot back: "Avidia, your glory is just hyped up by the Senate! Augusta's strength and achievements are solid! As for Rover, he..."
Rover raised a hand to stop Yuno from speaking further. He looked calmly at Avidia, his eyes indifferent, as if watching a play that had nothing to do with him.
Possessing the memories of the original storyline, he naturally knew that the heroic feat of "crossing the Bottom of Manes four times" touted by this confident young gladiator was merely a lie meticulously woven by Christopher, the Overseer of the Fractsidus.
This young gladiator wasn't inherently bad; one could even say he was quite righteous. He disdained the Senate's schemes and simply wanted to compete fairly and squarely with Augusta for the title of Hero King on the Hunting Grounds.
It was just a pity that the foundation of glory he firmly believed in was false from the very beginning.
But right now, Rover obviously wasn't going to point that out.
He merely said indifferently: "Who the Hero King is, is not important. What is important is who can lead the Seven Hills to survive. And right now, the Black Tide is outside the door."
Avidia seemingly hadn't expected such a reaction. He froze for a moment, then laughed: "Well said! Surviving is indeed the most important thing! Then let us see on the battlefield who is truly the hero capable of leading the Seven Hills to victory!"
He cast another glance at Yuno and Rover, gave an ambiguous smile, and turned to stride out of the main hall.
The intimate atmosphere in the hall had long been completely ruined. Yuno glared angrily at the direction Avidia had left in, then sneaked a peek at the indifferent Rover, finally just stamping her foot in frustration.
"Damned Senate... damned Avidia... always coming at the worst time!"
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