Chapter 167
Lost in his reverie, he seemed to hear mutterings beside him.
"I don't know what the new phase will be, but if given the chance, would you like to come back?"
Yuki glanced to the side and saw the upperclassman waving for him to come over, and stepped forward without hesitation.
"Is that even a question?"
Chapter Twenty-Seven: Tempering (4K)
The next day, Yuki left Izu alone and continued drawing lines on the Japanese map.
In less than a month, he went in and out of Tokyo three times. Fortunately, he didn't have to pay for the train fare each time he returned, which made his already meager wallet even worse.
Hiyori, and she's unusually sleeping in late. She's probably sipping coffee made by Hayasaka and reading a book in the sunlight right now.
Humans are strange like that; what used to be the most familiar part of daily life has now become a reward for themselves.
"But I'm still busy, and it'll be hard to have a peaceful day even after I come back." Yuki stretched, slung his shoulder bag over his shoulder, and saw couples of young men and women on the platform.
Everyone rushes about, numbly throwing themselves into repetitive lives, but if he could escape the Reincarnation Game a corporate slave now, he would call 007 a blessing.
"People are just despicable."
Shaking his head, he squeezed through the crowd onto the platform. The bell rang, and when he took it out, he saw it was from Hayasaka Ai.
"I've received my next mission, called 'Battle on the Raging Seas,' and I've already notified everyone to work together on it." The maid remained concise.
The three of them returned together, with very little time difference between them, leaving them with little choice.
Battle on the Raging Seas? The word 'sea' is the key word here.
Yuki breathed a sigh of relief; he hadn't expected his newly established network to come in so handy.
"Luckily, Izu is right by the sea. Here's what we'll do: you hurry up and go find Kitahara, buy some diving gear from the diving shop, you might need it."
"The senior student has already gone, and the young lady is trying to get some money out of them. Luckily, they weren't on guard, so she should be able to get the funds."
Yuki never expected that a seemingly insignificant move would come in handy; money is indeed quite important, as it can buy a lot of auxiliary equipment.
"Buy more sets; we have plenty of personal space now, let's put some useful things on them."
"Food, medicine, oxygen cylinders, pressure gauges, and what else?" Hayasaka listed them off one by one.
"Swimsuit, of course, it's a rare dungeon in the sea," Yuki, and to his surprise, Hayasaka agreed immediately.
"Okay, too bad you can't see it."
"Then wear it back and show it to me."
The two remained silent for a long time, with only the sound of each other's breathing audible, as if they had made a promise casually and were filled with anticipation.
"Hayasaka." Yuki took a light breath, his tone hardening considerably. "Bring them back, not one less."
"Okay, leave it to me."
Without needing to say anything more, Yuki hung up the phone. He liked Hayasaka's decisiveness and efficiency; it made him feel at ease.
Aside from him, this is the most professional player; he can definitely think of everything.
'Without me, the dungeon wouldn't mutate. It would only take two or three days at most, and even an A-rank rating would be enough.' Yuki wasn't greedy. He changed his clothes in the station restroom, disguised himself slightly, and then got into a taxi.
It took more than ten minutes to get to the Advanced Nurturing High School from the city center. As soon as I got off the bus, I immediately felt like I was being watched from all sides.
Across the street, several patrol officers were slowly walking towards him, raising their hands as if to call him back.
A major battle had recently taken place here, and all sides were keeping a close eye on things. Yuki had no interest in dealing with them, so he simply ignored them and walked through the gate.
Looking to the side, he saw a boy with long red hair sitting in the security booth. He arrogantly put his feet up on the table, flipping through a comic book, and cast a rather interested glance at Yuki.
Ryuuen Kakeru?
Yuki recognized the other person at a glance. He liked this kind of place where there were 'familiar faces' everywhere, saving him the time of introducing himself. He was just a little surprised that this unruly dictator had also submitted.
"You're here?" The boy glanced at him sideways, making no attempt to introduce himself.
"Hmm." Yuki lightly, pointing to the patrol officers who had followed him. "Take care of the aftermath; I don't want to waste time."
That's pretty arrogant.
Ryuuen Kakeru roughly knew about this collaborator, and since Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had specifically instructed him, he impatiently put his leg down and knocked on the wall of the security booth.
"Yukimura, take care of them."
As soon as he finished speaking, Yuki noticed a bespectacled man squatting on the other side of the security booth. He walked up to the patrol officers, twirling a pen in his hand, and waved the pen from a distance of several meters. The patrol officers were immediately bewildered.
They walked away, seemingly forgetting what they were supposed to be doing.
Hypnotic ability, well, at first it confused my senses so I didn't notice it. It's a bit like my senior in that sense.
But why are there so many hypnotic players in this school?
Yuki smelled the doujinshi and thought to himself that Ayanokoji had done a good thing; if it weren't for him, this place would probably have become the Advanced Suiryuukei Academy long ago.
"Tsk, those people are really annoying, always sending ordinary people to disgust us." Ryuuen Kakeru cursed as he walked out of the security booth. As if changing shifts, the proper college security guards immediately went in.
The red-haired boy didn't even bother to glance at them, which had clearly become the norm. He raised his chin at Yuki and said, "Hey, do you think they have a hundred ways to deal with us in reality? Why do they choose this ineffective method?"
Is this a test for me?
Yuki sensed a hint of resentment in their voices and guessed that Ayanokoji's excessive emphasis made them feel like their credit had been stolen.
"Because this is both indulgence and a warning. Players gathered together are best monitored. If the school is really disbanded, not to mention whether you will comply, you will be even more uncontrollable if you are scattered." Yuki answered without thinking.
"Besides, games are games, and reality is reality. They can use the difference in status to harm you, but you can fight back in reality as well. Zhou's family business is much larger, so there's no need for him to perish with you."
"Ordinary people are too fragile. That hypnotic ability was only so-so in a fight against other players, but it's a deadly weapon when used to manipulate stock prices and sign contracts recklessly. Both sides have tacitly kept these things confined to the game."
"At this stage, even the most powerful player organizations only have about a hundred people. They are like the cusp of an egg, surrounded and served by thousands or even tens of thousands of ordinary people. If this relationship is broken, you will definitely not be the ones who suffer. To put it simply, those who have nothing to lose are not afraid of those who have nothing to lose."
His logic was meticulous and his explanation was clear, almost identical to Ayanokoji's. This caused Ryuuen Kakeru's expression to change slightly.
At first, everyone was worried that their friends and relatives would be kidnapped and threatened, but after some explanation, their doubts were dispelled.
Yes, you can mess with us in real life, and we can retaliate in real life, not to mention the impact that would have on the 'player' community. Ultimately, it still comes down to players dealing with each other face-to-face, right?
Let's just start with random tasks and begin.
What is your name?
When Ryuuen Kakeru asked, Yuki realized that he had never told Ayanokoji his name; everyone addressed him as "you."
He thought for a moment, then, almost as if possessed, replied, "Call me Kevin."
It was obviously a pseudonym, but Ryuuen Kakeru didn't care. He had several aliases himself, and his real name was just a code.
"Alright, come with me."
The two entered the academy. This was Yuki's second time here, but this time he was more relaxed and looked around with great interest.
The battles all take place in randomized instances, so there isn't a single sign of damage to the actual academy. One class is having a physical education lesson, running laps around the track.
They saw the two walking by the roadside. Some waved to Ryuuen Kakeru, while others cast puzzled glances. After all, Yuki was dressed in a suit, looking like a corporate slave, which didn't match the youthful and vibrant campus style.
There was nothing unusual to be seen; everything was in the same order as before, and the school still held the dominant position, except that their consciousness had long been altered.
The ordinary students are still working hard to earn points as before, while the students who have become players don't care about the vocational school brawl. As for Ayanokoji himself, he sets an example by example.
He was still in Class D, secretly controlling everything, and didn't do anything as brainless as the vocational school student Jianguo.
"That Ayanokoji guy stopped all extracurricular activities and turned this place into the Jail," Ryuuen Kakeru complained as he walked.
"That's a wonderful the Jail too. Even if the Reincarnation Game suddenly disappears, you can seamlessly return to your original lives." Yuki with some envy, as he hadn't properly attended high school.
"The game suddenly disappeared? That sounds so frustrating! I can crush a mountain, going back to playing pretend is too boring."
"If you want to do whatever you want, you should Nagumo Miyabi's team. If the ultimate goal is survival, then the Reincarnation Game itself is the greatest enemy."
We've come back to the question of why Transcendental Grade powers exist. If it's for the enjoyment of power, then go ahead and struggle in the game, run ten or a hundred dungeons until you reach that unseen Limit.
But if it's for survival, then power is just a tool; you should think about how to escape the Reincarnation Game.
"Hahaha, you're very clever and interesting." Ryuuen Kakeru laughed. Of course, he was just trying to survive; he'd suffered terribly these past few months, only finding a moment of peace each time he returned. He pointed to the passing students:
"I used to think these people were all idiots, that reading and taking tests every day was too much trouble."
"And now?" Yuki ignorance.
"Now, anyone who dares to disrupt this way of life, I'll kill them."
Like a wounded beast whimpering, Yuki had no doubt about his determination. There was no inherent good or evil on any path; it was simply a matter of personal choice.
Every instance of the dungeon is a brutal beating. Some people grow to love navigating life-or-death situations, some choose to escape, and some try every possible way to end this nightmare. Ultimately—
It's still Reincarnation Game, and they haven't mentioned any conditions for clearing it. Even saying something like "clear 100 dungeons to escape" would give people some hope.
With some questions in mind, Yuki followed Ryuuen Kakeru into the teaching building and arrived at the rooftop amidst the orderly recitation of lessons.
Creak--
Pushing open the iron gate, Yuki immediately saw Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had been waiting for a long time.
"Why do you all like to meet on the rooftop? Does it make you more sophisticated? At least you just squatted in the corner, instead of standing by the railing gazing into the distance like that, which is so cliché."
Yuki began to complain, saying he had been putting up with these high school students for a long time.
"I chose this place simply because it's quiet enough, not as complicated as you think." The boy remained calm, then turned to Long Zeyuan, "What do you think of him?"
"Very clever, worthy of your careful consideration, but whether he is strong or not, we'll see after we test him." Long Zeyuan's fists clashed, looking eager to try.
They've come with ill intentions.
Yuki glanced sideways, then looked at the expressionless Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, thinking to himself, "What the hell did this bastard tell his subordinates?"
The boy ignored the gazes and waved his hand. "Go and gather everyone together. The dungeon will run for two days and two nights, enough time for you to experience it."
"Okay, I'll go and call them up."
The participants were already prepared and eager to teach Yuuki a lesson. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was very satisfied with the attitude he had deliberately cultivated, and turned to look at Yuki:
Are you ready?
His eyes conveyed a wealth of information: the trust built from multiple collaborations, and the realization that in a moment, he would lose control of the situation.
If Yuki defeats all the players, he'll be devastated; if he's just average, he'll be humiliated.
"Anytime is fine. By the way, aren't you going to participate?"
"I don't like fighting, so there's no need for me to participate in the Temperance Plan." The boy shook his head and took out something under Yuki's sarcastic gaze.
It resembled a miniature sand table, with mountains and rivers on it, and the terrain constantly changing like liquid. Without a doubt, it was a very special Chaos Item.
"Wait, aren't Chaos Item banned in reality?"
"That's the general situation. I wouldn't dare challenge Daylight if I didn't have a few trump cards up my sleeve." Ayanokoji naturally wouldn't explain his secret, but simply placed the sand table on the ground and asked:
"Is this terrain suitable? You can make any requests, but I can't handle anything too complicated."
It even lets you adjust the terrain of dungeons, so creating an organization seems pretty useful after all.
The more people there are, the faster you can acquire resources and information. No wonder Ayanokoji said there are many ways to delay or speed up entering a dungeon. He levels up too fast and has too few people around him, which is indeed difficult to make up for.
An organization can simultaneously launch ten instances, and even if only half of the players return, the resources they acquire will far exceed those of a lone wolf. Moreover, the direction of enhancement can be more extreme, and they can use cooperation to make up for their weaknesses.
Yuki took a deep breath, sensing a challenge; this plan was also a test for him.
"By the way, how many people did you prepare?"
"Twelve of them, all at least Extraordinary Level III, representing various schools of martial arts. I have already sent them the specific rules."
Can we only create random copies, but not set the rules?
Yuki slightly, a hint of gratitude in his eyes. What he lacked most right now was combat experience and the chance to witness all sorts of bizarre and Transcendental Grade abilities.
This usually requires several dungeons and killing dozens of players to obtain, so this can be considered taking a shortcut.
Thanks.
"Don't thank me yet, remember what you promised." Ayanokoji reminded him again, still worried. This man was too bloodthirsty and never left anyone alive. This was Temperance Plan, not a suicide plan.
"Sakayanagi will bring special items later. Just fight seriously and try not to lose anyone."
How ruthless! They gave me the casualty quota right away.
Yuki took a deep breath, walked to the edge of the rooftop, and gripped the railing with both hands.
"12 against 1, aren't you afraid I'll die and make you lose all face?"