This Instance Is Impossible to Complete!

"Your Majesty, the Battle of the Imperial Sea instance can be cleared. Those challengers were simply overflowing with luck."

Itō Hidetaka bowed and explained respectfully.

"As expected, they merely happened to discover the instance's weakness."

"I absolutely won't allow anything like this to happen again in my next instance."

The Emperor stared at Itō Hidetaka for a long time before slowly speaking. "Itō, let us hope so."

"But I must still remind you: we absolutely cannot let our guard down around the Great Xia people."

"Although the Great Xia people are lacking in military strength now, they have made rapid progress in instance creation over the years."

"Pay particular attention to this Lin Ye!"

The Emperor spoke coldly, his gaze growing especially, especially sharp.

"A level 0 managed to clear a hard-level instance. Whether or not it was luck, he warrants special attention."

As he spoke, the Emperor's gaze also fell on Minamoto no Yorimitsu, Iga Ryūji, and Yamamoto Sanjūhachi.

"General Minamoto, Commander Iga, and Commander Yamamoto, those words apply to you as well."

Everyone nodded, each making plans of his own.

At that moment, a smile suddenly appeared on Itō Hidetaka's lips, giving him the air of someone who already had victory in his grasp.

"Your Majesty, I believe you must be overestimating this Lin Ye."

"As we see it, this Lin Ye was really just lucky. He has little real talent or knowledge and is nothing but a mediocrity when it comes to instance design."

The Emperor frowned and asked, "Itō, why are you so certain?"

"Lin Ye's first instance is actually a ten-thousand-person instance. That shows how far beyond his reach he aims... and that he's a lone-wolf challenger with absolutely no organization backing him!"

"Otherwise, he wouldn't do something so foolish," Itō Hidetaka said with a smile.

Minamoto no Yorimitsu, standing nearby, smiled as well, then said, "So, Itō, you think this instance has no chance?"

"For an instance that enormous to gain the Firmament's approval, how vast a military system and how much economic and industrial support would its own forces need? I think everyone here knows the answer."

"Lin Ye is just a rookie designer who only recently reached level 1. Do any of you believe he can design an instance like that?"

When Itō Hidetaka finished, the people before him all fell silent.

Among them, Itō Hidetaka was the authority on instance design.

Besides, the strongest instance in the world so far was only a five-thousand-person instance.

To say that a Great Xia Newcomer's debut work was a ten-thousand-person instance really did sound like a tale out of the Arabian Nights.

"In my view, this Lin Ye is simply wasting his protection period."

"That instance has no chance of ever seeing the light of day. The Firmament will reject it outright."

Itō Hidetaka delivered his verdict in a casual tone.

"Even if we take ten thousand steps back and suppose this instance does see the light of day, it will be an extremely easy instance riddled with loopholes."

"If a ten-thousand-person instance is cleared, Lin Ye will be wiped out on the spot!"

The Emperor nodded calmly, his gaze still fixed on Itō Hidetaka.

No matter what, Itō Hidetaka was the Great He people's finest instance-design genius.

Since even he had said so, the matter was all but certain.

"Very good."

"Since you're so certain, Itō, I'll trust you one more time."

"Now then... everyone, let us have tea."

With that, the Emperor raised the teacup on the table and motioned for everyone to raise theirs, beginning the tea-drinking ceremony that represented the highest rank of the Great He people.

At the same time that Itō Hidetaka and the others were talking at the Emperor's residence.

Another conversation was taking place in an office at the First Instance Military Technology Research Institute in the Great Xia Gathering Zone.

"Teacher, I've passed your invitation on to the young man named Lin Ye."

Zhao Jianyu was standing before Ding Chang, reporting on her work.

"He said he wanted to think it over..."

Ding Chang, seated in a wheelchair, smiled, picked up his thermos, and took a small sip.

As director of the First Research Institute, Ding Chang was two entirely different people inside and outside instances.

Inside an instance, he was a level 2 big shot with a rough personality, deep pockets, and a fierce protectiveness toward his own people.

Outside an instance, however, he was a technical expert who wore gold-rimmed glasses and carried himself with polished, scholarly elegance.

Nearly all the Great Xia people's current instance naval technology had been researched under Ding Chang's personal direction.

He enjoyed immense prestige throughout the Great Xia people's gathering place.

The short-haired woman before him, Zhao Jianyu, was both his assistant and his disciple.

"This young man really is interesting."

Ding Chang spoke unhurriedly, his eyes showing no trace of displeasure, only a hint of admiration.

"Xiaoyu, to tell you the truth, I haven't seen a Xia person with this much guts in a very long time."

"This kid's a rookie, yet he had the nerve to command two thousand people. More importantly, he even cleared the instance."

"Cough, cough, cough. Interesting."

As he grew excited, Ding Chang coughed hard a couple of times.

Zhao Jianyu hurried over and patted Ding Chang on the back.

"Teacher... your health..."

"Haha, it's all right, it's all right." Ding Chang hurriedly took a few sips of goji berry tea to settle his cough. "Talking about young people gets me a little excited. It reminds me of the first time I designed an instance."

"I really am getting old."

Zhao Jianyu frowned slightly, thinking about something as she continued patting Ding Chang's back.

In the end, she voiced the concern on her mind:

"Teacher, I don't think this Lin Ye is necessarily suited to joining our institute."

"He's... too arrogant."

"I just checked the Firmament's broadcast, and this Lin Ye has actually gone straight to designing a ten-thousand-person instance!"

"That's... a bit too absurd."

Lin Ye's plans to create a ten-thousand-person instance were entirely public, so Ding Chang had naturally taken notice as well.

Deep down, he didn't really believe the instance could see the light of day either.

But in front of Zhao Jianyu, he smiled and replied:

"Xiaoyu, don't be so absolute."

"A ten-thousand-person instance really is extremely, extremely difficult, but it's not entirely impossible to complete."

"What if this Lin Ye is an instance-design genius, one in ten thousand?"

As he spoke, a hint of melancholy appeared in Ding Chang's eyes.

He wheeled himself over to the window and gazed at the night sky beneath the Firmament.

He let out a long breath.

"Young people need to dare to dream and dare to act. What if their dreams do come true?"

"Xiaoyu, you must keep an eye on this Lin Ye at all times."