After Borg's party was forced to retreat for a second time, a strange silence fell over the area around the church. This wasn't peace, but the tense quiet of a temporary standoff.
"They haven't left," Elara reported from her lookout post. "They've set up a temporary camp about five hundred meters away. They're watching."
Yanaki nodded. Borg was not one to give up easily, especially after being humiliated. He was waiting, perhaps waiting for her to run out of resources, or for other players to weaken her defenses for him.
Over the next few hours, a few other small groups of players wandered by. They were drawn by the floor-wide event, but when they saw Borg's party, clearly a very strong team, camped out nearby without attacking, they all understood the situation. The prey in this church was no easy lamb. No one wanted to be the vanguard who took all the damage just for Borg to reap the benefits. So, they just hovered at a safe distance before leaving.
Ironically, the presence of her greatest enemy, Borg, had inadvertently become a shield, helping Yanaki avoid harassment from opportunists. The siege had turned into a waiting game, a battle of wits.
As the night grew late, Elara suddenly spoke, her voice alert. "Someone is approaching. Very fast. Not one of Borg's people."
The whole party instantly entered a state of combat readiness. Sylva stood guard at the entrance, its green eyes glowing brightly in the night.
From the darkness, a slender figure in a dark cloak emerged. The person stopped right at the edge of attack range, showing no hostility. Under the moonlight, a short black haircut and razor-sharp silver eyes were revealed.
It was Luna.
"What are you doing here again?" Yanaki asked, her hand gripping her dagger.
Luna didn't answer immediately. Her gaze swept over Sylva, then up to Elara's position, finally settling on Yanaki. The condescension on her face was gone, replaced by a cold, pragmatic analysis.
"I've seen how you fight," Luna said, her voice flat. "You're not strong, but you're smart. Borg is a brainless meathead. He'll either keep charging in and failing, or he'll gather enough people to overwhelm you with numbers. Both are a huge waste of time."
She continued, "I don't have time to play this game of cat and mouse. I want the Memory Shard, but I don't want to waste nearly a full day laying siege to a prickly hedgehog."
With that, Luna did something no one expected. She threw a small, shimmering object towards Yanaki. Yanaki caught it out of reflex.
It was a broken, silver knight's crest. The third one.
[You have received: [Broken Knight's Crest] x1.]
[Side Quest: [The Blacksmith's Legacy] - All materials collected!]
Yanaki was stunned. "Why?"
"I took it from another Phantom Captain in the inner courtyard, before Borg's group started making a ruckus," Luna explained. "It's useless to me. But perhaps it's useful to you. Consider it an investment."
"An investment?"
"That's right," Luna's silver eyes glinted with calculation. "Here's the deal. I won't attack you. On the contrary, I'll help you 'clean up' any other pests. I will ensure no one bothers you for the next 20 hours or so."
Luna's offer stunned Yanaki. Having a player as strong as Luna as a temporary ally would make this siege much more bearable.
"In return," Luna continued, and her voice grew sharper, "when the timer ends and the Shard is fully yours, you and I will have a duel. Right here. One on one, no familiars, no outside interference. The winner takes all. The fairest and most efficient way to decide the Shard's owner."
A deal with the devil. A temporary peace in exchange for a pre-arranged deathmatch with one of the strongest players she had ever met.
Yanaki clenched the three knight's crests in her hand. They were the key to getting a B-rank piece of equipment, something that could increase her chances of winning that fateful duel. Luna had given her both the lock and the key.
Silence fell. Yanaki looked directly into Luna's silver eyes, weighing the offer that was both insane and strangely logical. Accept, and she would have time to prepare for the final battle. Refuse, and she would have to continue her war of survival against the entire Floor 1.