Chapter 154
"Is this Hayasaka's ability?"
"To be precise, it's a characteristic; I won't go into the details." Mai Sakurajima turned her head, a faint smile appearing on her face as she looked at the ice-sculpted girl. "It seems she has a tough time usually."
I feel like there's something hidden in your words.
Kaguya felt there was something strange about that look in his eyes, so she deliberately looked away and asked, "Mai Sakurajima- kun, are you very strong?"
"Not really, my main strength lies in support abilities."
"Then you still dare to be bait?"
"We're all going to be bait," Mai Sakurajima corrected, stepping out from under the skeletons without hesitation. "Follow me and follow the plan. Of course, you can also choose to watch from the sidelines; he gave you that option."
Kaguya hesitated for a moment, feeling that doing so was very irrational, but then she realized a problem she had almost overlooked:
Whether it's Mai Sakurajima or Hayasaka Ai, they never seem to hesitate when carrying out that man's orders, as if they have no ability to think and are willing to be puppets on strings.
Mai Sakurajima definitely doesn't seem stupid, Hayasaka Ai is even less so. This maid hasn't said a single word to her so far, and has been following Yuki's instructions completely.
This is absolute trust.
She discerned the only reason, paused for a few seconds, pulled her leg out of the shattered bone, and knowing full well that it wasn't rational, followed after him.
She was no stranger to similar situations; she had made the same choice long ago when she was 'blinded by her the Bystander Is Blind,' only this time she wasn't forced by a survival crisis.
They finally caught up.
The senior student kept an eye on what was behind her. Yuki respected everyone's choices and did not force anyone to carry out orders.
'But only through mutual trust and reliance can one become a companion.'
Mai Sakurajima breathed a slight sigh of relief. Before Kaguya caught up, she was helping out of consideration for Hayasaka Ai, but after Kaguya caught up, she was acting in the common interest of the team.
Even though she felt she had no conflict with Hiru, Yuki decided to make him her enemy, making him the enemy of the entire team.
Kaguya was unaware that she had just passed the test. Holding a bow in her left hand and an arrow in her right, she followed the footsteps ahead in the pitch black, the darkness making her heart pound with anxiety.
"Miss Kaguya..."
"Just call me Kaguya. You're more senior than me; it sounds a bit ironic."
"Alright, Kaguya, can I take a look at your player panel? It'll be good for preparing for the skirmish later." Mai Sakurajima promptly changed her form of address and then made her request.
This time, Kaguya didn't hesitate; she had already decided to fight alongside her. Wouldn't it be ridiculous to keep a secret?
Player: Moon Bow (Experienced dungeons: Gold Panning in Filth, Being Blinded by the Bystander Is Blind)
Physical Strength: Human (Limit)
Storage space: 1 cubic meter
My Ego Trait: True Shot, Sure Hit LV1. When focused, shooting accuracy is greatly improved, with almost no misses. Limit effect: three arrows. Cooldown: one hour.
Equipment: Metal Longbow (Alienated Grade, Forged Once)
Item: Iron Thumb Ring (Chaos level)
Transcendental Grade Skill: Ice Enchantment (Mastered)
Residual reinforcement points: 0
Specialization points remaining: 0
"What kind of 'Gold Panning in Filth' scenario is this? Why didn't Kaguya Shinomiya turn evil on the spot?"
Mai Sakurajima suppressed a laugh and glanced at the panel as seriously as possible. She found that Kaguya was quite outstanding and very intelligent, having actually built the prototype of a combat power system.
Therefore, he specializes in archery, but unlike Hayasaka, he focuses more on accurate long-range shooting.
Only after asking did I learn that the ring was obtained by Kaguya after unlocking the forum, using the spoils of the Black Sword, and that her combat power system relied entirely on the mission rating she had just received.
"I got a good deal by following him, so I should help him out," the girl explained coldly in the darkness.
"Don't say that. You must have taken a risk too. It's not easy to latch onto that person's coattails," Mai Sakurajima said casually, her tone light and cheerful.
"And weren't you helping Hayasaka- san? She's put in a lot of effort for you."
I decided to protect her, and she did everything she could to protect me.
Kaguya felt a warmth in her heart as she thought of the maid, and almost lost her composure. Yes, she didn't fully trust Yuki, and the whole incident was related to this small group's interests, even involving the Advanced Nurturing High School.
However, it cannot be denied that things have developed to this point because Hayasaka wanted to protect herself; otherwise, her life or death would have nothing to do with Yuki.
"No, I'm helping myself. The Shinomiya Clan can't become useless appendages."
Hehe, another arrogant one.
The senior student smiled even more happily, somewhat looking forward to the life of this master and servant in the Reincarnation Game, but in an instant, her smile froze, and the gentle and mature senior student returned to player mode.
Rumble--
Lightning flashed in the sky, and the world was briefly illuminated again. In the distance, on a small hill made of skeletons, a short-haired woman wearing a sports vest was staring at them.
"Team A has located the target."
"Several?"
Both of them are here.
Shinomiya Hongzheng silent for a few seconds on the communicator. Group C had lost contact in the central region, so how did they suddenly end up in the north?
He was terrified when one of the groups suddenly lost contact, so he quickly called a halt to the regrouping and ordered each group to disperse and find a way out.
He was still somewhat unwilling to run away with his tail between his legs. He was inexplicably blamed, and his older brother was extremely disappointed. If the academy didn't win because of him, he would completely lose his voice in the court.
Killing someone to silence them is acceptable, but failing to silence them doesn't mean you end up as a stray dog yourself.
'Besides, if I don't catch him, I won't be able to explain my reckless behavior no matter how hard I try.'
Hongzheng and forth. Regardless of how many coincidences or oddities there were, the fact was that he had initiated the attack and prematurely ignited the war.
But if he actually went for it, he wouldn't dare. Who could guarantee it wasn't a trap?
"The target is about to leave my sight. Please make a decision." The Leopardess was getting impatient; this mediocre guy was too hesitant.
A puppet? An illusion? Or a decoy?
After much deliberation, Hongzheng gritted his teeth and said, "Go and probe, try to capture them alive. If there are no problems, we'll come back to support you."
Leaving the danger to others, the Leopardess wanted to ask, "If the opponent is very strong, wouldn't I be doomed?" But she kept the words to herself; this was a price she had to pay.
Without answering, he hung up the call and nodded slightly to the girl with long, straight black hair next to him.
"Move now, but be ready to retreat at any time."
Just as the next 'dawn' arrived, a bright flash of lightning appeared over the Bone Plains, its dazzling light causing Mai Sakurajima to turn her head away.
Splash--
A bolt of electricity thicker than her arm shot towards her from afar, and without thinking, she immediately activated her defensive items.
The Singer's White Veil.
Bang!
The scattered residual electricity shattered the bones within several meters, and the inertia sent her flying. Just as she regained her footing, she saw a figure pounce on all fours like a cheetah.
Her blocking already exposed her true nature, proving that she wasn't a puppet or an illusion, and that her strength wasn't exaggerated. A true powerhouse who could slaughter players like chickens wouldn't need defensive items.
Very strong.
Kaguya also saw the Leopardess's speed, which far exceeded human Limit, and the light claws formed by her hands, which cut through the bones blocking her path like tofu.
She finally understood what Mai Sakurajima meant by "it's not easy to latch onto his coattails." No one can be a slacker; even a simple bait mission requires full effort.
"I have five parry chances left. Stop her, and I'll give you the speed boost cooldown."
Without Mai Sakurajima's prompting, Kaguya drew her bow and arrow, ignoring the incoming lightning, her eyes fixed only on the charging Leopardess.
The sky suddenly darkened, but she no longer needed to aim with her eyes. When she released the bowstring, Kaguya already knew the outcome.
Guaranteed to win!
The dark environment was clearly well-suited to her characteristics. When neither of them could see each other, the Leopardess instinctively stopped, raised her hands, and created six intersecting streaks of light.
Swish--
The arrow was torn apart, but the spilled frost froze her hand again; the sense of lock-on from her 'Beast Instinct' had not disappeared.
The second and third arrows came one after another, still with that feeling of certain to hit him. He couldn't help but let out a low growl like a beast and stand up.
Rending Beast Claws!
The light claw, originally only a foot long, extended to several meters, tearing apart arrows and everything in front of it, before leaping backward through the pervasive icy mist.
A very strong archer, possessing a skill related to causality; continuous firing would be extremely dangerous in this dark environment.
She landed on the ground, brushed away the thin layer of ice that had formed on her face, and slowly raised her head.
But with such limited skills, you dare to fight back?
Chapter Thirteen: Deliberate Planning
Okay, let's begin.
From his vantage point, Yuki could see the distant flashes of light and hear the booming sounds of exploding arrows. Even in the darkness, the intensity of the battle was palpable.
With a support-oriented player like the Kaguya around, Kaguya's barely passable strength can rise two levels, enough to send the wrong message:
Players in the daytime are all experienced, and they will understand the strength of their opponents after just one exchange. Even if they take their trump cards into account, they are far from being able to completely overwhelm their opponents.
As for pretending to be weak to deceive others, those people are seasoned veterans; if they can't see through that, they might as well just find a block of tofu and kill themselves.
"The only problem is, with such limited strength, how can we fight back? But facts speak louder than words; the world is never short of people who value face more than life itself."
Fishing was never the key point; the core of the plan was still the senior student. Having only two enemies was definitely not a problem, but if—
"What would you do if there were three enemies?"
His fingers paused, a thunderous roar erupted, Yuki, already sprawled on the skull, used the brief moment of light to look around. Sure enough, he saw a figure running wildly away to the east.
Attendant in a sharp black tailcoat arrived, hurrying to provide assistance.
'First one, Shinomiya Hongzheng, where are you? It's embarrassing to just stand by and watch.'
Yuki didn't make a move, nor could he hear the sounds of battle in the distance. Against a sniper as accurate and ruthless as Kaguya, stalling for time was the best tactic. And now, reinforcements were arriving.
He let the Attendant pass and continued to wait, certain that Shinomiya Hongzheng would come, because in the Reincarnation Game, one's real-life identity was merely a bonus; a coward would not earn the respect of other players.
Besides, Kaguya said you have high aspirations and are not stupid, just a bit too mediocre. And even if you have skills like soul detection, you can't use them now. I can get closer by taking advantage of the terrain.
Yuki seemed to have his opponent completely under his control. He flicked the sword with his thumb and then closed it again, each movement precise to the second, and after about seven strikes...
Rumble--
Another flash of lightning streaked across the night sky. Yuki's gaze sharpened, and he finally spotted two figures. The one walking in front was none other than Shinomiya Hongzheng.
As the player with the strongest theoretical strength, his slow pace clearly indicated that he harbored doubts.
I knew you were a cautious person, but you used your power to intimidate others, so you had no choice but to come.
Yuki wasn't surprised. Gripping his knife and gun, he silently climbed down from the skull and, using the scattered bones as cover, groped his way towards the other side.
Yuki guessed correctly; Shinomiya Hongzheng indeed have doubts.
He couldn't understand why he suddenly lost control of his emotions, but he knew that Nagumo Miyabi had started the fight.
As the one who started the trouble, it would be abnormal if he didn't have some dangerous trump cards, but he was in the same situation as his older brother and couldn't back down.
The organization, formed recently, relies on providing players with a luxurious lifestyle and security guarantees. If those in charge run away at the first sign of trouble, the organization will fall apart.
'Therefore, I can't just enter and run; I have to fight two rounds. If the enemies are terrifyingly strong, then fine, I won't say anything; they'll choose to leave the instance on their own.'
Unfortunately, the enemy wasn't particularly strong; they didn't even have the ability to deter them.
The feeling that something was wrong, yet having no choice but to step in, was awful. Having gone through seven dungeons, my intuition for danger had become quite sharp.
Moreover, this place is very strange. When there is no lightning, even soul detection is isolated from the surroundings, leaving you completely in darkness, which makes you even more panicked.
"Etc."
Shinomiya Hongzheng stopped, causing a young man in leather armor beside him to look at him with confusion. The fighting ahead was fierce; was this guy trying to become a kill-stealer?
"We'll continue on our journey under the light of lightning."