Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

Noah was a little curious, "I thought my leaving was a good thing for you. Weren't you very unhappy to stay here at the beginning?"

"Of course, it's a good thing for me if you leave here," Precious nodded. "Once you leave, you'll be more likely to fulfill your wish, and it will also be more likely to accomplish my goal. In fact, I can't wait for you to leave here now."

"Then why do you want to keep me?" Noah didn't understand why Precious would do such a thankless task.

"...I don't know either." Precious closed his eyes and shook his head. "It's just been a long, long time since I've spent so much time with someone. It's been so long that I'm a little dazed. It's been so long that I almost consider you a friend. Ridiculous, right? I think it's ridiculous too."

"...You should know the exact time, right? Unlike me, you've been here for a long time. You should know... How long have we been here?" Noah didn't laugh at her. Instead, he asked, "I'm not alone here, but I've also thought about what would happen to me if you, Brandos, and the teacher weren't here?"

"It's okay, at most you'll end up like me," Precious said with a smile. "Spending such a long time awake isn't a good thing."

"Same as you..." Noah sighed. She finally understood the weight of this sentence. Of course, the time she spent in the tower was not comparable to the time Prissus spent in the Originium, but that didn't mean Noah couldn't understand.

It was torture for a person to spend such a long time alone, hoping for a goal that was the only thing that could keep her going. The extreme and slightly crazy nature of Precious's character now was probably the sequelae left over from this period.

When she thought of this, Noah understood why Precious wanted her to stay.

——Unfortunately, she can't do it.

She stood up, walked across the chessboard, and amidst Precious's puzzled expression, she leaned over and gently hugged Precious. It was just a simple hug, but Precious was stunned.

How many years has it been since she received such a warm hug?

As a result, the first hug came from her enemy... No, perhaps it could only be said that she was the target of her conspiracy. She even planned to take away her body and use it to walk on this earth.

But this person suddenly hugged himself?

"What are you doing?"

She couldn't understand Noah's actions, and even more so, she couldn't understand why she didn't move at all.

"I just think you need a hug," Noah responded.

"Are you...sympathizing with me?"

"I hate to use that word, but if you think of it that way, it's probably true."

"...Arrogant guy." Precious's tone turned a little cold. "Do you think this level of concern will make me open my heart to you like those girls you seduced?"

"I haven't thought about it that way." Noah shook his head. "But I just wanted to hug you. I thought about it, so I did it. I didn't think about it any further."

"...Stupid." Precious responded coldly, "Just because I casually mentioned that I might consider you a friend, do you think you can take advantage of me?"

"I think I just followed my heart." Noah shook his head. "We have different standpoints and we're not on the same path, but that doesn't mean I can't give you a hug out of sympathy. I don't think there's a conflict."

"..." Precious didn't understand why Noah would embrace her enemy so calmly. In her opinion, this was meaningless and she would not let her go just because of such a thing.

In fact, the various abnormalities she had discovered about Noah had already given her a guess. However, she kept this thought to herself for the time being and did not intend to speak it out loud.

In any case... there is an almost irreconcilable conflict between her and Noah.

The two are enemies and rivals. Even if they are sitting together playing chess now, it does not mean that they can really become friends.

——Precious is not such a naive person, and neither is Noah.

She was just suggesting Noah to give up leaving the tower out of an indescribable emotion. Perhaps only by staying here could they maintain the current delicate balance.

As long as she left, they would never be able to sit together and play chess like they do now.

"Your stupidity has exceeded my expectations, Noah Kyrielight." Precious sighed, "But I must remind you that you don't know what's happening in the outside world right now, and you don't know what you will face. You must be mentally prepared and don't regret it."

"I won't regret it, Precious." Noah shook her head. "Out there are people I love. For them, if I had to choose a thousand times, I would choose to go to where they are."

"..." Precious had nothing to say. She turned around and disappeared in front of Noah.

And this game of chess...is never finished.

Noah turned his head, and the 1% progress bar finally reached the end. The floating machinery in the beacon tower was completely free from the infection of the sea cells, which also meant that Noah was finally going to leave the tower.

——Noah took a last look at the chess board and sighed.

"Goodbye, Precious."

This is not a farewell forever, they will meet again, but next time, maybe they will never be able to sit down and finish this game of chess.

Noah reached the beacon tower's control panel and placed his hand on the start button. Brandus appeared, reminding Noah, "If you activate the beacon tower, the floating machinery inside will leave the tower as planned and establish an energy transmission pipeline to the mainland. This is the original intention of the Channel Plan—"

And when the channel is completed, the beacon will become a lighthouse, a guiding lighthouse, leading Terra into the next era.

She felt that it was not too late.

Weng——

With a subtle sound, Noah heard the sound of the beacon tower.

It was a sound like a living thing reviving.

What Noah didn't know was that the movement of the beacon tower restarting was even more obvious to the outside world. The fleet was already planning to deploy the micro singularity, but was attracted by the unusual movement of the beacon tower.

In their view, this timing was as if the beacon tower had really appeared in response to the prayers of those sea disciples.

The beacon tower emitted a dazzling light, and its top was open. The floating machinery inside was shining with light, and it turned into one light point after another at an extremely fast speed, rushing straight up, even directly passing through the sea level. Elini, who was far away in Iberia, saw this scene on the sea.

--What's this?

All the countries of Terra witnessed this miraculous sight. Iberia, Colombia, Lateran, Victoria, and even Ursus saw the brilliance that shot straight into the sky and then turned into a dazzling light band like a laser across the entire sky.

——A long time later, this event was called the "Miracle Day". Those floating machines, according to the original program, turned into a golden passage. Under the golden passage, the gray matter condensed on the tower gradually dissolved, and a person, a sleeping girl lying under the tower, finally opened her eyes.

She was still a little uncomfortable and it took her some effort to stand up, but at this moment, no one dared to ignore her existence.

Seeing the image on the screen, even Ulpian had to admit... she really knew how to choose the right time to wake up. Surprisingly, at this moment... a being respected by both Agor and Haisi had awakened.

"Good morning…Tyra."

Noah raised her head and looked at the golden passage, which meant that the beacon tower had been successfully restarted. However, then she saw a large number of underwater ships lined up above her head.

These underwater ships were all armed with live ammunition. Noah had seen at least ten flagships in Miliarum before. It was no exaggeration to say that Noah was really scared.

After all, he had just woken up and saw a group of people driving a warship, fully armed and approaching him. Anyone would be suspicious.

"...This welcome... is beyond my expectations..."

Chapter 82: War? Or Reconciliation?

A golden beam of light shot straight into the sky, and the beacon tower was like a giant lighthouse, illuminating the entire underwater world. As the tower restarted, Noya finally escaped the closed environment of the beacon tower and set foot on this familiar yet unfamiliar land again.

She had just stood still, the sea still stagnant around her, when she felt a surge of oppression coming from all directions. Agor's fleet of warships lined up in the distance, their silver-white armor gleaming with a cold sheen under the light. Beneath the beacon tower, a vast number of sea heirs, now so evolved they were practically indistinguishable from humans, gathered. They stood there, their eyes filled with silent prayer, as if awaiting some impending miracle.

The tension between the two sides was like a taut bowstring, ready to snap at any moment. Noah watched all this unfold, and doubts welled up in her mind: Could it be that her awakening had become the spark that ignited this war?

Just as she was thinking, an old and calm voice came from behind her.

"Ms. Noah Kyrielight, I have been waiting for you for a long time."

Noya turned and saw a vaguely humanoid figure, Haisi, with strange streamers fluttering in his hair. His voice held a deep wisdom and composure, devoid of hostility, but rather a touch of respect. He bowed deeply, his movements slow and humble.

"...Who are you?" Noah was slightly stunned, confused by the stranger who suddenly appeared.

"My name is unimportant," the man said slowly, his voice thick with age. "But if you truly need a name, you can call me Maritus. As you can see, I am a human transformed into a sea heir, and I am also the Pope of the Deep Sea Church."

"Pope of the Deep Sea Church?" Noya's brow furrowed, a hint of displeasure and vigilance in her eyes. She knew full well that the identity of the Deep Sea Church's Pope carried more than a passing significance. The countless attacks on the Agor, the brutal battles, the countless lives lost by the Agor people, could all be traced back to the Deep Sea Church's machinations. And the man before her was one of the driving forces behind these bloodbaths.

Maritus seemed to sense Noah's hostility, but he did not show any panic or excuses, and still maintained that calm expression.

"Indeed," he admitted calmly, "I have done many things that you would consider evil, and I will not defend them—but please believe that I will not harm you. Even to the Haisi race, your importance far outweighs my status as Pope."

Before he finished speaking, he lowered his head again with an extremely humble attitude and bent slightly, as if to indicate that he had completely given up any initiative.

"If you are willing, Miss Noya, you can replace me now and become the leader of these sea heirs." His voice was still so sincere, as if this was a wish from the heart.

Noya was surprised to hear this. She looked the old man up and down, pondering. His words were filled with a strange sincerity, yet such a straightforward attitude made one wonder if there was a deeper motive behind it.

"You awaken at this time," Maritus continued, his eyes filled with awe and emotion. "Perhaps this is fate's will. I know my actions are despicable, but I would like to ask you for a favor."

"...You say." Noah remained vigilant, but the situation before her forced her to respond.

"I hope you can protect the future of my children." Maritus' voice was low and his posture was extremely humble, as if the person in front of Noah was not a Pope, but an old man who wanted to protect his descendants.

"Protect... Haisi?" Noah was slightly stunned.

Maritus nodded gently, his eyes filled with complex emotions. His voice held a certain power that could not be ignored. "These children are no longer the creatures of the past, blindly pursuing survival. They have evolved, taking the first step from instinct to wisdom. And this step, you perhaps understand better than I do, is actually due to your existence. They are now embarking on a different path from the Haisi of the past. These children have a bright future, and I simply cannot bear to teach them hatred and killing at this moment—I believe you wouldn't either."

"...Me?" Noah was stunned. It was not difficult to tell from Maritus' words that the other party attributed the transformation of these sea heirs directly to Noah. Although Noah did not know what the situation was, her ability would not be false. The eyes of these sea heirs looking at her were more of curiosity and admiration, without hostility, and even with feelings of attachment, as if she suddenly had hundreds of daughters... It really made Noah a little overwhelmed.

"I don't expect you to side with the Haisi, but I hope you can understand that they are no longer the mindless killers you once thought they were. They have thoughts, dreams, and a future. And all of this is brought about by you," Maritus continued. "No matter how you look at it, they are innocent. They were born in this trench, guided and reshaped by your song, Suyo, into their current form. They should not be destroyed by war—I can only seek your help."

Noya didn't answer immediately, instead looking at the sea creatures below the tower with a complicated expression. She could sense their prayers, a deep-seated desire that wasn't simply a quest for survival, but a deeper search—perhaps, as Maritus had said, these sea creatures were gradually transforming into humans.

Maritus said nothing more, but waited quietly for Noya's response. He knew that the decision of this girl before him could change the course of the entire world.

Noya didn't respond immediately. She simply looked up—and gazed into the distance. Agor's fleet remained like an insurmountable barrier, oppressing the Haisi's living space. And Haisi's evolution was changing the fate of the world.

Regardless, the flames of war are already in the air.

Anyway... let's go see some old friends first?

-

Soon, Noah was invited to the flagship where Ulpian and Gloria were. Through the transformation of her body by gray matter, Noah has completely adapted to the underwater environment and can breathe freely underwater. However, when she entered the waterless cabin, she was even a little uncomfortable. Fortunately, there was a drying process when entering the underwater ship, and the crew also thoughtfully prepared a complete set of clothes for Noah.

After changing her clothes, Noah followed the crew through the complicated passages. During this time, she occasionally saw busy soldiers in the cabin, but these soldiers maintained a very consistent reaction when they saw Noah. They stopped what they were doing, stood at attention and saluted. It could be seen from each other's eyes that these people expressed respect for Noah from the bottom of their hearts. Maybe Noah didn't expect it... After Noah sank into the ocean trench with the beacon tower, her name was written on the monument, even on the first line.

Those who have visited the monument may not know who Noah is, but they all know that Noah made great contributions and even sacrificed himself to be on the first row of the monument.

So these guys are just paying tribute to what Noah did.

Noah was even a little uncomfortable, and the feeling of being respected like that made her a little nervous.

And when she walked into the bridge, she was greeted with a very strong hug.

"Welcome back, Noah!" The one hugging him was Laurentina, and behind Laurentina, the first person Noah saw was - Skadi.

"Laurentina, long time no see." Noya's eyes fell on Skadi. Seeing her confused expression, she couldn't help but feel a little strange. Logically, Skadi shouldn't be so calm? This was too... strange. However, she still responded to Laurentina first. "I don't know how long I've been in the beacon tower, and I don't know what's going on outside. And as soon as I woke up, you came to pick me up?"

"You're showing off your wealth, isn't it?" Laurentina said with a smile. "Secretly, Swordfish misses you too and often mentions you."

"That's true..." Noah was a little flattered. She had never expected that the usually expressionless Gloria would mention her. "Are you criticizing me for being too reckless?"

"Yes, but mostly I'm thinking about you." Laurentina said with a smile, "And... Skadi, her situation is a little special."

"..." Speaking of Skadi, Laurentina hesitated. Then, she whispered the truth into Noya's ear. "After the Battle of Milialum, Skadi seems to have lost her memory of you due to severe injuries and the effects of the beacon... She still hasn't remembered."

"......?" Noah didn't expect it to be such a special case. She stepped forward and wanted to ask clearly, but Skadi, who had already forgotten Noah, subconsciously took half a step back, and her eyes were a little evasive. This half step made Noah freeze. She didn't know whether to go up and ask clearly or let Skadi stay alone for a while.

But she quickly adjusted her attitude, smiled and extended her hand, "Hello, Skadi. My name is Noah, don't forget it this time."

"...Noah...Hello." There was a strangeness in Skadi's voice, which reminded Noah of the first time he met Miss Skadi. She was like this at that time, a little indifferent and a little restrained.

"...Ms. Skadi, I have to go discuss some things with Ulpian and Gloria first. I'll excuse myself for now. I'll come and talk to you about the situation after things are over." Noah knew that it was not the right time yet. Agor's army was already approaching. Time was money at this moment. If she wanted Agor to withdraw his troops, she would have to convince the two commanders in a short time. She really didn't have time to negotiate with Skadi.

Skadi nodded, "Then I'll take you to see the captain and the second team."

Noah turned and exchanged a glance with Laurentina, who understood. She quickly stepped forward and grabbed Skadi, who wanted to join her in the command room. As she pulled, she said, "They're reminiscing. Don't get involved. Let's talk about it later."

Skadi was a little confused, but since Laurentina had held her back, she had no choice but to do as Laurentina asked.

Noah breathed a sigh of relief and walked into the commander's room alone. Unlike Laurentina who gave her a big hug at the beginning, the two captains did not show any excessive enthusiasm. They just waited quietly for Noah's arrival, especially Ulpian. He seemed no different from before, even his attire had not changed. But Gloria changed her clothes and looked more like a consul than a deep-sea hunter.

"Long time no see, you two." Noya sat down in a random seat. Facing the two fleet's top leaders, she breathed a sigh of relief. "It's really been... a long, long time."

"We think of you often, too, Noah," Goletia said first. "But now's probably not the time to reminisce."

"Your purpose." Ulpian said it briefly and directly, which was very much his style.

"...Maritus asked me to protect the sea descendants who have evolved into humans." Noya saw Ulpian's attitude and knew that there was no point in saying anything else. "He said that the sea descendants have changed and are no longer the same as before."

"That's just one side of the story," Ulpian replied coldly. "You wouldn't believe the lies of a madman, would you?"

"But, Ulpian, no one can lie to me." Noya sighed. "I also hope that he is just showing weakness and wants to use me to prevent the war. However, I have to admit... those sea heirs are indeed special."

"...To be honest, we're not here just for you." Helatia was silent for a moment before she spoke. "We're not here simply to recapture the Beacon Tower, but also for revenge. Agor must wage a war to divert domestic conflict... This is Helatia's decision."

Speaking of Helatia, Gloria's expression always looked a little bad. Noah also knew that there was a lot of friction between her and her mother, but at this moment, this was no longer the point. The point was that Helatia personally appointed Gloria and Ulpian, the two people who had the most determined hatred for Hai Si, as the commander-in-chief of this battle. The meaning was self-evident. What she wanted was to hurt Hai Si or even kill him directly - this was not very realistic, but if possible, Helatia would never refuse.

In this case, in a sense, Goratia and Ulpian were just mouthpieces for the revenge plan, and the one who really decided everything was Goratia herself.

Whether to fight or retreat is not something that Gloria and Ulpian can decide.

Golletia's meaning was clear, and Ulpian acquiesced. If this war was to end, it wasn't Golletia or Ulpian who mattered, but Helatia.

This leader, in the true sense of the word, is the one who will decide the direction of this war.

Chapter 83: A Reason I Cannot Refuse