Chapter 160
She knew that Yuki knew some people, even better than they knew themselves. Just like her, she still didn't understand how Yuki dared to talk so much nonsense in front of her back then, wasn't he afraid of angering her?
I glanced at the people walking towards me; most of them were students from the two nearby universities. Because of the Fool's Mask, no one paid any attention to me.
She really enjoyed this feeling of being an ordinary person, and she was also very interested in the burger joint that Yuki. She couldn't help but move a little closer to the man, while simultaneously dodging his grabbing hand.
"Don't touch me." The senior poked Yuki's stomach with her finger, then hesitated, "It's weird that we're so relaxed, it's like it has nothing to do with us."
"It has nothing to do with me anyway, alright, alright, to tell the truth." Yuki looked at the students coming towards him, many of whom were sizing him up with slightly hostile eyes.
In this godforsaken place where single people are everywhere, having two girls following him is just asking for trouble. Thinking about the war on the other side, he couldn't help but reveal a strange smile.
"I enjoy this comparison."
It's over.
The sun shines on another piece of land, where the nationally renowned Advanced Nurturing High School remains peaceful.
A gentle breeze rustled through the leaves on the Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's hair, causing him to squint comfortably.
A night felt longer than a year, and the peace before us seemed so illusory. Last night, even a tenth of the Transcendental Grade power clashed was enough to level the entire school.
But I'm not a bad student who wants to bomb the school.
He opened his eyes and saw that the once empty road was suddenly filled with many people. Their school uniforms were neat and clean, without a single scratch, but the fatigue in their eyes was undeniable.
This group of people appeared to be perfectly fine, like they had just participated in a marathon, but were actually exhausted.
Ayanokoji scanned the familiar faces; many more were already buried within the instance space, never to emerge again.
The player remained silent, as if waiting for him to raise his arms and shout, but the boy, with a lazy expression, slowly opened his mouth.
"It seems like a lot of students will be absent today."
Chapter Nineteen: Neither Victory Nor Defeat (Second Update)
Neither winning nor losing—that was Ayanokoji's answer. But after the matter was settled, he didn't shout like a hero or try to boost morale while the iron was hot.
Just let the players disperse, go back to their dorms to catch up on sleep, and don't forget to hand in your leave slips.
This is Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's rule: in the fictional world, school rules must be followed in reality.
Everyone was bewildered but still did as instructed, partly because they had become accustomed to this lifestyle, a form of identity outside of the game; and partly because those who truly wanted to act recklessly were dead, and no one dared to challenge authority anymore.
"I've noticed you have a bit of a dry sense of humor. A group of players just finished a big battle, and your first order is to have them submit leave slips?"
Sakayanagi Arisu didn't go to rest; once the anticipation was gone, she became quite sarcastic.
"This isn't humor, it's something I have to do. With the pressure of survival easing a bit, I need to focus on something else." Ayanokoji remained unchanged, showing no sign of joking.
"Compared to the members of the group, the students here are really easy to manage. They ask for so little; peer relationships are all they need."
Teenagers and office workers are fundamentally different, and Ayanokoji that players take leave is to keep them living under established rules.
"I don't want to talk to you about sociological issues." Sakayanagi took a light breath and tightened his grip on his cane slightly. "Aren't you even a little bit excited? That was the daytime attack with all our might, and we defeated them."
"It wasn't a victory, just no defeat, and several key figures are unharmed," the boy corrected.
"But they are much stronger; a draw would be a win."
"The final outcome is not yet decided, so never declare victory. Moreover, I miscalculated Adam; if it weren't for the coincidence with 'him,' I would have certainly lost this battle."
The cold gaze left Sakayanagi speechless; recalling what happened last night, she couldn't refute it.
Just as Yuki had guessed, the whole plan was simple: have Daylight take the initiative and fight Nagumo Miyabi's subordinates first. Yuki did this very well, and the two sides did indeed start fighting, and they immediately used their trump card.
[Spatial Black Hole]
A one-time use, Arcane Grade item, using Ayanokoji's 'Probability Calculation' ability to pre-set the time, and then using a pre-prepared puppet to bring it into the dungeon and detonate it.
The Black Hole was created, indiscriminately killing the entire battlefield and causing huge casualties. However, Zhou Ye to be underestimated and also used special items to forcibly escape.
Forcibly leaving the game won't fix it; this method of returning will most likely result in being dropped to a random location. But these players, who had fought hard for hours and been hit by a Black Hole, were once again tricked by probability.
They appeared in the center of the academy, while Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had already led everyone to guard the surrounding area, seizing the advantages of timing, location, and popular support to launch the second battle.
"That's not probability theory, that's manipulating Destiny. A powerful organization is being led by the nose by you." Sakayanagi Arisu somewhat excited. Such a 'simple' plan would normally have a success rate of less than one percent, and just detonating the Black Hole alone would only give a 20% chance of success.
"It's not as scary as you think. I can only trigger a low-probability event, and that's only if the other party gives me an opportunity." Ayanokoji remained clear-headed and found a bench to sit down.
"So the primary contributor is him. Zhou was too impatient, which amplified the odds. Besides, I couldn't reverse the balance of power. Even with all my strength, Adam still managed to kill so many of our companions."
Adam.
Sakayanagi held his breath upon hearing the name. This monster had appeared during the second battle, and the precious item that could be used to join a dungeon had actually been used on one person.
The monster roared, "Forge me!" and even the Transcendental Grade Hirata Yosuke was crushed, his sturdy Justice mech torn to shreds.
"Luckily, he didn't make it to the first battle."
"Why do you think he didn't make it?" Ayanokoji suddenly asked, then leaned back in his chair. "Shinomiya Oko is a character. After ending our game of hide-and-seek, he returned to the battlefield, put on a brave face for a moment, and then immediately announced a retreat. If we had continued fighting, we would have been wiped out."
"The losses outweigh the gains. Even if they eliminate us, they will also suffer heavy losses. They wouldn't do something so foolish," Sakayanagi retorted indignantly.
"He started a war without getting angry, which is why I say he's someone important. Is it also possible that he saw that person as a major threat and discovered we weren't on their side?"
The daytime battle with the academy has been fierce, and the third party must be the happiest. Nagumo Miyabi's escape also indirectly confirms that their relationship has been exposed.
But Sakayanagi was still unconvinced. They had killed two of the seven A-level members during the day, and last night they had risked their lives to achieve a draw. Why did they keep trying to flatter that person?
Just as she was getting annoyed, a mature-looking bald man approached from a distance.
Katsuragi Kohei nodded slightly and immediately said, "The other battlefield has been investigated. That person disguised himself as Nagumo Miyabi and took action personally, with only one companion by his side."
"And the result?" Sakayanagi asked first, and saw the bald man pick up a list full of red crosses, pause slightly, and instinctively look at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.
The boy also looked at the list, and a faint smile appeared on his face, which remained expressionless even after creating the Miracle.
Annihilation—that was Yuki's answer.
"Including members engaged in routine missions, the organization suffered a 33% loss this week. The codenames of the fallen are as follows:"
"Azure Dragon, Leopardess, Attendant..."
At the same moment, in a luxurious office filled with the smell of cigarettes, rows of high-backed chairs were occupied by people, and Celas, with her slightly curly purple hair, was reading a list.
The readers' voices were flat, and the listeners showed no sadness. For the current players, the Reincarnation Game hadn't been around for very long, and beyond the need for survival, they hadn't had time to build team bonds and a sense of honor.
To be honest, the feeling of shame is stronger; it's simply unacceptable that I was tricked by a bunch of kids.
"Without a doubt, this was a defeat."
When the list was finished being read, Shinomiya Oko, who was sitting at the head of the table, stood up, bowed ninety degrees forward, and immediately transformed into an apologetic immortal.
"The problem lies with me. I underestimated these young people and hastily issued the order to go to war."
"Hongzheng also did a terrible job; not only was he defeated and killed, but he also lost that pen."
No one answered, just as no one cared about his attitude. In truth, it wasn't really his mistake.
Who knew that Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's characteristics were so bizarre, like winning the lottery repeatedly, he managed to complete several steps. I initially thought it was just luck, but it was Nagumo Miyabi, who escaped from the academy, who told me the answer.
It turns out they were manipulating probabilities; the problem arose the moment they hastily placed their first piece.
"The foundation will provide each member's family with a 300 million yen compensation payment, as promised when the contract was signed. However, due to my own mistake, this amount has been increased by 20%."
The atmosphere improved slightly. Even as players, they weren't detached from reality. Why should they work for 'Day' if not for this small benefit?
"That's enough, Lord Yellow Light. You've also lost your brother."
"I don't know how to use that pen anyway, so it's fine if I lose it."
"Yes, now we should be thinking about how to retaliate. There are many player organizations in the world, but we can only deal with the one right next to us."
Shinomiya Oko kept bowing and looking at the table, a smile finally appearing on his lips. His authority remained, because every organization had a core figure who brought together all sorts of players.
Even Transcendental Grade- level monsters like Steel Wolf and Blood Mist can die, but he cannot.
As for making up for losses, just listen to it and forget about it. Those who actually join the organization are players who have completed one or two dungeons. Once they reach a certain level of difficulty, unless it's voluntary, no one will force them.
Anyone would have a headache if a player of extraordinary rank or higher was constantly bothering them.
I no longer have time to play simulation games; the skill gap between players is too large, and simply increasing the number of players is pointless.
Shinomiya Oko understood the current situation better than anyone, so he sat down calmly and shook his head slightly. "Indeed, I underestimated them. I didn't expect that boy to take the path of identity recognition and then be so ruthless towards his own kind."
The meeting room fell silent once again, everyone wearing expressions of utter disgust.
They were all students from that college, who knew they would split into two factions and then treat their classmates as human bombs.
"Should we take revenge in real life? Everyone's the same in the game, but in reality they're just a bunch of kids," someone immediately suggested.
"No way, our intelligence has been leaked too. If things really escalate, everyone will have weaknesses to exploit."
"Right, we're not the only large player organization. Have you forgotten about the Takazono Family?"
The lively discussion paused slightly. The Takazono Family was also a Japanese player organization, and a former enemy of Daylight. They had angered a powerful lone wolf with their real-world power, and the latter retaliated in kind.
Everyone has family, everyone has weaknesses. The game's punishments weren't enough, and gradually the war turned sour. Before the fighting had even really started, the Takazono Family had already fallen apart.
Unlike the structured lifestyle of academies, their lives are more like clocking in and out to work. If you can't provide a safety guarantee, the players below can simply switch sides.
"A game is just a game. We can't escalate it. At their age, it might just incite them to fight to the death." Yellow Light tapped the table, ending this pointless conversation. "By the way, do you know why I didn't choose to fight to the death in the end?"
We'd rather die together than do something pointless; there's absolutely no benefit in that.
The same thought flashed through everyone's minds, but they all focused their attention on the two documents that Shinomiya Oko had picked up.
"You should know that those who are dealing with Hongzheng are not from the academy, right?"
"Of course, Nagumo Miyabi is here; he's a third-party force."
"Yes, he was the one who started all the problems." Yellow Light nodded and continued, "After investigation, it was found that he had nothing to do with the academy, nor with Kaguya Shinomiya."
"Wait a minute, why is this unrelated to Kaguya Shinomiya?" Celas immediately interrupted, her starlight-like eyes filled with suspicion.
"This Kaguya Shinomiya does have an alibi and has evaded the 'psychologist's' observation, but the investigation is not thorough enough. We should use a player with hypnotic abilities to directly control her and ensure that a random instance does not occur."
"Miss Celas, I have no intention of protecting my relatives," Yellow Light countered with a smile. He wasn't stupid; he had already noticed something was wrong. "Besides, she left from Haneda Airport this morning. Am I supposed to go to Shenzhou and bring her back?"
"Her sudden escape—doesn't that just prove she has something wrong?"
"The matter of studying abroad was decided a week ago, not on a whim. Of course, it's also possible that it was a pre-planned scheme. She might be a deeply involved player, or a player who's easily frightened, or she might just be the eldest daughter of the Shinomiya Clan. But I've ruled out the first possibility using Causal Prophecy. As for the latter two, is it really necessary for me to go to such great lengths?"
Causal Prophecy was of course useless; Kaguya Shinomiya didn't know any of the players in the academy at all, and the second and third scenarios also silenced Celas.
It's perfectly reasonable for a rich heiress to travel abroad; she's been abroad every year. But it would be troublesome for a player, since it's not their own territory, and the thought of coordinating relationships is enough to give them a headache.
Ultimately, it was a defeat in this battle. As long as it had nothing to do with the academy, they could deal with it later. They didn't have time to waste on such trivial matters, even if the Shinomiya Group was no longer important.
Since she can't threaten me in the game, and I can't fight for power in real life, why bother with her?
"When I have a little free time, I'll have the foundation's security department 'protect' her. Right now, there's something more important, something that concerns our future." Yellow Light, seeing everyone's attention, turned the two documents towards the crowd.
This is a portrait of the criminal jointly drawn by the 'Causal Prophecy Prophet' and Shiratori. All the events that caused significant losses during the 'Day' period were selected, including the Armless and the Smoker, those who were blinded by their the Bystander Is Blind, the Academy Strategy Battle, etc., and then compared and eliminated.
There are hundreds of word groups, among which several keywords have been highlighted in red. They are:
Male, mist, blade, and--
Taiyi.
Chapter Twenty: After killing too many people, one must eventually wash one's hands.
As the sun sets, the golden sunlight casts long shadows.
The three of them walked side by side on the beach, carrying their shoes. They could see some children digging holes, some surfing in the sea, and of course, girls in swimsuits chasing each other around.
After a satisfying meal, a leisurely stroll afterwards makes for an incredibly happy life.
Yuki walked over to the side and, surprisingly, took the time to guide the two children in building sandcastles, looking quite proud as he faced the astonished faces around him.
A sea breeze blew by, Kaguya smoothed her flowing black hair, staring blankly at the man squatting on the beach, where a giant castle covering several square meters was gradually taking shape.
She recognized those hands very well; they were always holding knives or guns. She also realized she'd been tricked again; the sandcastle was so perfectly flat, like it'd been made from a template—how could she not know how to sketch it?
Turning her head again, she saw Mai Sakurajima playing in the water, her fair little feet treading on the fine waves. When a more turbulent wave came, she hurriedly took several steps back.
Childish.
Kaguya never imagined she would have the chance to use this word to describe the two of them, especially Yuki. He left such a deep impression on her, as if his clothes were never clean, yet upon closer inspection, she couldn't find a trace of affectation.