As the three punished players fell into their contrarian state, everyone around them shuddered.
This punishment was terrifying.
No matter what you said, they would instinctively argue the opposite.
Whether they were right or wrong didn't matter.
They simply had to contradict you.
"How horrifying. I really hope I never get a punishment like that."
Kujou Sara trembled all over.
Just imagining herself afflicted with this punishment was enough to make her scalp tingle.
Jean had already gone so far as to criticize Barbatos.
If it happened to her…
Wouldn't she end up arguing with the Shogun herself?
In contrast, Yae Miko watched the chaos with sparkling eyes.
She loved this kind of drama.
"All right, the punishment is done. Time for the reward draw."
Raiden Ei couldn't care less about anyone else's punishment.
Her eyes were fixed solely on the prize.
"Of course."
Valerius brought out the reward machine and handed each of them six coins.
"Go ahead and test your luck."
Ei weighed the coins in her hand, then turned to Yae Miko.
"Miko, I've already drawn a reward before. This time, you go first."
Her tone was smug.
After all, she had already claimed one reward.
This was her second time.
As she spoke, she deliberately cast a glance toward Furina.
So what if Furina had been the first to ever win?
Ei was now the first person to win twice.
What did that prove?
That she was amazing, obviously.
She had already decided that today's date would be commemorated.
Perhaps she would even have the Kamisato Clan establish a festival in honor of her triumph.
Every year, Inazuma could celebrate the day the Almighty Narukami Ogosho and Yae Miko fought through countless battles to claim ultimate victory.
Naturally, Yae Miko's role in the story would be edited slightly.
Specifically, she would be cast as the teammate who spent the whole time dragging Ei down.
"Fine. I'll draw."
Yae Miko rolled her eyes.
What was so special about winning twice?
Just wait.
She'd pull something incredible right now.
Walking to the machine, she inserted all six coins.
Clack. Clack. Clack.
The machine whirred.
Then—
A burst of rainbow light.
"My goodness! Rainbow light!"
"That's a Rule Skill!"
The room erupted in shock.
Everyone stared at Yae Miko with open envy.
Even Valerius was surprised.
This fox's luck was absurd.
"Sweetie," Kafka murmured, pressing a hand atop Silver Wolf's head, "I'm increasingly tempted to give you a beating."
She was furious.
Getting tricked by Yae Miko was bad enough.
But now that fox had pulled a rainbow reward.
It was almost insulting.
"C-calm down," Silver Wolf muttered. "Even if we'd won, we wouldn't have had any points left to draw."
That reminder immediately cooled Kafka's anger.
Right.
She'd spent all their points on Command Seals.
Even victory would have earned them nothing.
"Miko, want to trade?"
The moment she saw the rainbow reward, Ei rushed over and offered her own six coins.
"Heh. Do I look stupid?"
Yae Miko shot her a deadpan stare.
Trading a guaranteed Rule Skill for six uncertain spins?
Absolutely not.
"Miko, think about it."
"There's nothing to think about. My luck is worse than yours. If I can pull a Rule Skill, then surely you can too."
"Hmm… that does make sense."
Ei nodded thoughtfully.
Her luck was indeed exceptional.
After all, she was the first person to win two rewards.
Perhaps she really would draw something even better.
"Hmph. Just watch. I'll get an even stronger reward than yours."
Everyone facepalmed.
She actually believed her.
The rainbow light faded, leaving behind a glowing orb.
"Quick! Tell me what it is! Is it powerful?"
Yae Miko's eyes sparkled.
Valerius examined the reward.
Then his expression turned… odd.
"W-what? Is it bad?"
"It's actually quite powerful."
"Oh, stop dragging it out and just say it."
Valerius nodded, first glancing at Kafka before reading aloud.
[Lancers Have E-Rank Luck: The holder of this Rule Skill can reduce the luck of any lancer to the lowest possible level.]
"…Huh?"
Yae Miko froze.
Her six-point Rule Skill was… this?
What kind of bizarre power was that?
"Don't be disappointed," Valerius said. "With this skill, any lancer is essentially doomed against you."
Yae Miko pouted.
"Wonderful. Except they aren't heroic spirits."
"I said lancers," Valerius corrected. "That includes anyone who uses a spear or any weapon classified as a 'gun' or 'lance.'"
Yae Miko's eyes widened.
"So if there are players who use guns or spears, I can lower their luck too?"
Valerius nodded.
"Exactly."
Yae Miko's disappointment vanished instantly.
That actually covered quite a lot of players.
"How strong is the effect?"
That was what she really cared about.
What did "low luck" actually mean?
Valerius pointed toward Mondstadt.
"See Bennett over there?"
"…That level of bad luck?"
"No. Worse."
Valerius shook his head.
"Much worse than Bennett."
He explained:
"Typical effects include tripping while walking, choking on water, weapons malfunctioning, accidental self-inflicted injuries… that sort of thing."
"So basically it's just for pranks?"
Valerius sighed.
"Think bigger."
He leaned closer to her and lowered his voice.
"In the middle of battle, if you activate this skill…"
Yae Miko's eyes slowly widened.
"And," Valerius added, his gaze meaningful, "luck also affects reward draws."
He gave her a knowing look.
"Really?!"
Yae Miko's jaw dropped.
She understood immediately.
This meant she could sabotage other people's reward pulls.
Imagine forcing a lancer to spend six points only to draw complete trash.
"Hohohohohohoho!"
Yae Miko burst into delighted laughter.
This skill was marvelous.
A true anti-lancer superweapon.
From now on, what spear-user or gun-user would dare offend her?
"And that's not all."
"There's more?"
Today was a nonstop series of surprises.
"The category of 'lancer' is broad. Anyone who uses a weapon with the word 'gun' in its classification counts."
Kafka immediately pulled out her firearm.
"This counts too?"
"It does."
At once, countless players began reevaluating their relationship with Yae Miko.
Perhaps… it would be wise to stay on her good side.
"Miss Yae Miko," Dan Heng said nervously, "I haven't offended you, have I?"
He was a spear user.
If Yae Miko cursed his luck during a reward draw, he'd be finished.
"Relax. I won't sabotage anyone's rewards."
Yae Miko gave him a reassuring smile.
She understood perfectly.
If she abused this ability recklessly, she'd become public enemy number one.
But if someone provoked her?
That was a different story.
Boothill looked at the revolver on his hip and immediately shouted:
"Yae Miko is awesome!"
Chevreuse raised her hand.
"Yae Miko is awesome!"
Zhu Yuan stammered:
"Y-Yae Miko… is awesome!"
Soon the entire church echoed with chants of praise.
"Yae Miko is awesome!"
"Yae Miko is awesome!"
Yae Miko folded her arms and lifted her chin proudly.
"Hehe. Address me properly as the Great Lady Yae Miko, embodiment of beauty and wisdom."
She was beyond pleased.
This skill was perfect.
Valerius, however, looked on with a strange expression.
Was it just him, or were these two best friends developing a player-targeting specialization?
First Ei had drawn the Delete Account Gun.
Now Yae Miko had obtained a skill that tanked the luck of all lancers.
Both rewards were suspiciously effective against fellow players.
Could these two really have some kind of built-in anti-player bonus?
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