Chapter 188

Yuki pushed the notebook over, and Hayasaka Ai looked down at it and fell into deep thought.

The first finding is that the frequency of battles in the city has increased by about 10%. This is difficult to detect, but Shiina Hiyori still managed to collect enough samples.

The second point concerns the architecture. Through careful observation, they discovered that the deathmatch arena differed from other buildings, appearing to be older, but without professional measuring tools, they couldn't be certain.

The third item is related to Yuki; a picture of a golden skull is played on a loop on the big screen, but with an extra line of small text below:

He will end the shamelessness and reclaim glory with their blood.

It's a bit like pre-match trash talk, but no one else has this annotation, which seems like they're deliberately trying to hype things up.

"The connection between the deathmatch and the current state of the city is due to the spread of that sense of fanaticism." Hayasaka Ai pondered for a long time, then suddenly looked up. "Could it be that our initial guess was wrong?"

The initial guess was that it was a ritual behind the scenes that required 'killing and glory', but now it seems more like a prerequisite, an action driven by a character in the storyline of the instance.

They sound similar, but there are fundamental differences.

If it's some evil god who requires this ritual, Yuki has better follow the rules. Based on experience, such a being is enough to crush all players. But if it's a story character in charge, it's a different story.

"And what about that line you just said, 'What caused the war? Where did the blood come from?' Are you hiding something from me?" Hayasaka Ai, her face full of suspicion.

"It's nothing, just something I said offhand, like the 'Kevin' pseudonym, it doesn't have any deeper meaning." Yuki was puzzled; he was still pondering his initial guess.

It feels right, but not entirely right.

"This doesn't sound like a line that can be said casually."

"I just said it as it came to mind, there's nothing to hide," Yuki replied frankly. The search for the secret was mainly handled by Shiina Hiyori, and he couldn't possibly know more than her.

It's just a preconceived notion; ever since the Bloodthirsty Red Moon, he's repeatedly reminded himself:

The Reincarnation Game can produce unexpected changes. Memories from past lives can be used as a reference, but they should never be treated as absolute Truth, or they could be deadly.

Perhaps it's because the atmosphere in this instance is too familiar.

Yuki found an excuse to skip the topic. "It seems that as the battle of warriors begins, this atmosphere will become increasingly fervent, which indirectly proves that the plot is constantly developing."

"It doesn't sound good, but I don't know what it means."

"So we have to investigate. Isn't Hiyori afraid of that red trench coat and unable to explore the interior of the black building?" Yuki heard a 'bang bang bang' knocking on the door. Obviously, the battle had been arranged. He picked up the coffee cup on the table, crossed his legs, and leisurely drank his coffee.

"I'm betting he won't kill me."

"What? Kevin suddenly changed his mind and refused to fight?"

The apostle quickly received the report and his expression turned strange. This person, though devoid of honor, did not reject combat, making him fundamentally different from those cowards who were eliminated.

Elk shook his head, puzzled. "It's not exactly a rejection, he said he wanted to talk to the higher-ups in the Cult."

"Talk? What's the point? He shouldn't be stupid enough to ask us to go easy on him." The apostle was even more puzzled and turned around. "Besides, didn't you go?"

"He said I'm not tall enough," Elk replied sullenly, equally puzzled.

The plan has now begun, and anticipation is high.

If the seed loses, the atmosphere immediately becomes tense; if the seed wins, it only further suppresses the anger, waiting for the day it completely explodes.

He figured he wouldn't lose either way, but he never expected that Yuki would cause such an unexpected problem at the last minute.

These people are resorting to tricks again; it's so familiar. Why can't they just fight honestly?

The apostle was very familiar with this taste, and if it weren't for various reasons, he would have been very interested in playing with Yuki.

But not now; my remaining rationality is no longer sufficient.

He gently covered his head. Playing intrigue requires mental effort, and as time passed, he no longer had the rationality to deduce Yuki's conspiracy.

Did you explain to him the seriousness of refusing a death match?

He said he wasn't refusing, he just wanted to talk.

That's just delaying.

The apostle casually picked up a bloodstained head and fluttered it up and down in his hand.

When to fight and with whom is all arranged by the Cult; players can refuse, of course, as long as they can bear the consequences.

Generally speaking, the success rate of fighting the Cult to the death is even lower, so it's better to go along with the plot.

To kill, or to endure?

The remaining rationality left it with only two choices.

Killing him wouldn't be difficult, but the question is, why wait until now to kill him? The Cult has its own roles; I cannot replace the Seed, nor can I trigger a blood tide.

The apostle considered for a moment, his eyes flickering with a frenzied killing intent that was then suppressed by his remaining rationality.

"Okay, I'll go see him myself."

Chapter Eighteen: A Group of Mentally Ill Patients (Second Update)

Yuki Hiyori reviewed the events several times and discovered that the 'Calamity of Blood' instance operates in a rather complex way:

The Cult organized deathmatches, igniting the emotions of the audience with the warriors' fierce fighting. This fervor then spread from the eight deathmatch arenas throughout the city, making the city's residents even more violent.

These things together created an absurd world where people are like diodes, their minds filled with killing and glory.

Thinking deeper, several other questions still trouble players:

First, what exactly does the Cult want to achieve? Why do they want the city to boil over like a pot of oil? If they simply want rivers of blood to flow, they might as well do it themselves.

Secondly, where did the citizens and soldiers come from? At this rate of attrition, the entire Yadu Town would have been wiped out several times over.

Third, regarding when this instance actually started, at least judging from the order in which the buildings were constructed, it appears to be in stages.

Fourth, what is special about the players as seeds, and why is the Cult deliberately creating the final battle between Yuki and Adam?

Every question needs an answer, but as the plot unfolds, the secrets are gradually being revealed.

For example, when Yuki saw the Angel wearing a blood-red trench coat and a golden skull mask, more speculations came to mind.

This person's soul fire was strange; it had eight cylindrical shapes of similar color, yet each retained its own color, like a hodgepodge.

He had seen Abate and Elk, and even ordinary members of the Cult; their souls were closer to the eight pillars, and those of the highest-ranking members of the Cult retained even more of them.

'What kind of rule is this? The higher one's status, the freer one's self-awareness?'

In the rest room of Arena I, Yuki activated his Demon Eye and stared at the other person suspiciously.

He bet right; the Cult did not take any annihilation action, and the person who discovered the Void Puppet also arrived, but the outcome was unexpected.

Have you seen enough?

The flames in his eyes burned, making him appear frenzied and violent, as if every word he uttered was a forceful attempt to suppress his murderous intent with reason.

Yuki couldn't smell any of his own kind at all; the person standing in front of him was a madman, and a madman unlike the Clown from before.

There was no conspiracy; all his reason was used to suppress his murderous intent. He finally understood why the people here were so kind and honest.

Driven by a frenzied lust for slaughter, it's already quite an achievement to maintain a modicum of rationality in devising a simple plan. Or perhaps this person is more patient and intelligent than the other characters in the instance, but he's still not a normal human being.

"As long as you stay in the ring, you'll eventually understand everything." The apostle clenched his fist, looking impatient. "What's the point of spending so much time and energy if you die in the next match? You might as well concentrate and improve your chances of winning by even a little bit."

Yuki shifted his gaze slightly and said with a smile, "I'm afraid it will be too late by then."

"The Golden Skull is very strong."

"Um?"

"I said the Golden Skull is strong. Why are you worrying about things so far in the future? You should be thinking about whether you'll be alive in an hour, not whether you'll survive tomorrow or the day after. Nobody in this city has a long-term vision, do you know why?" The apostle glanced at the two players in the room and Railway.

"Because someone could challenge you and kill you at any moment. Thinking for even a second longer is suicide!"

Yuki raised an eyebrow upon hearing this; he couldn't refute the logic, because what he had seen and heard along the way was indeed as the other party had described.

Soldiers only think about how to win the next battle; they have no grand ideals.

But as someone with severe anxiety disorder, I like to calculate things far into the future.

Unaffected by the verbal sparring, Yuki maintained his smile, adhering to his own philosophy of survival. "You're the strongest in this city?"

"Yes." The apostle's eyes were filled with eagerness, as if he had never had any hidden plans. "Want to try? I will use my full strength; both of you can come at me together."

If Yuki challenges him, he'll fight and kill him; as for plans, he'll deal with them after the kill.

The killing intent was too pure; Yuki's eyes twitched slightly, and Hayasaka Ai was even more bewildered.

After so many dungeons, this is the first time I've encountered a boss who has stepped forward on his own initiative. There was no particularly clever scheme involved; it was just that Yuki, as a test, made a request.

I told you to come, and you actually came?

Is it true or false?

This was completely different from previous instances, leaving him full of suspicion. It was like the Demon Hospital, where he had to overcome numerous obstacles to finally meet Director Fukawa.

You don't believe me?

"This is indeed a bit unbelievable."

"So I'm letting you try it yourself. In this city, the description of 'strongest' can't be used casually." The apostle spread his arms, releasing the heavy pressure completely, his eyes blazing with fire.

Hayasaka Ai instinctively reached for her gun, realizing the other person's murderous intent was genuine. When she was stared at by that gaze, her muscles tensed involuntarily.

Her survival instinct made her run for her life, while her bloodlust made her want to fight. Fortunately, Yuki grabbed her hand at that moment, which made her muscles relax.

They are absolutely terrifyingly strong; even if you fight with all your might, you have little chance of winning.

But doesn't hint 1 say "[the strongest is the champion]"? Does this refer to the strongest player among all players? But what about the warriors in the storyline?

Yuki was full of doubt, but skipped over it as if she hadn't heard. "So you came in person, is that considered polite?"

"No, this is a threat. If you don't fight the Golden Skull, the Cult will arrange for me to be your opponent—one-on-one, one-on-two, or even your entire team." The apostle let out a piercing laugh and pointed to Abate and Elk behind him.

"Or you could say we'll take it step by step. We don't care about glory, and we don't need a ring. We want a fair fight, like in the city!"

The blatant threat completely exploited clue three. Why didn't the Reincarnation Game say that players had to accept the challenge, yet they all obediently stepped onto the arena?

That's because fighting with these people is a dead end.

The ritual itself is a form of protection for the players. The 'seeds' must have some very valuable purpose. It's not that they can't kill players, but doing so would be pointless.

Yuki immediately understood why these people were so straightforward, never considering kidnapping or coercion, and not caring that their seniors were secretly searching for secrets.

There's absolutely no need for that. If the players lose their usefulness, they can take matters into their own hands.

If you can kill them all, then go ahead.

"What do you want me to do?" Yuki took a deep breath.

"Just keep doing what you're doing, and enjoy the fight to the fullest in your own style."

Sure enough, they did indeed follow the strategy of first praising and then criticizing.

Yuki thought to himself that it was the same idea he had, but he still didn't quite understand. "If you want me to fight Adam, why don't you make some arrangements for me?"

"There's no need for that. The warrior who ends your life will also gain immense glory, until he is ended by the next, stronger warrior." The apostle was direct, leaving Yuki no need to guess. "Now choose: fight me, or face your Destiny."

What kind of world is this, where the big fish eat the little fish, huh? As for Destiny and all that...

Bullshit! Your bottom line is very flexible. It's just that my victory is meaningless, and my death now is pointless.

Yuki didn't believe a word of it, but the goal of luring the tiger away from the mountain had been achieved, and there was no need to recklessly test other people's bottom line.

"Okay, I understand."

"That's more like a warrior." The apostle gave the other person a deep look, knowing full well that Yuki had something to hide, but still nonchalantly stepped aside.

"Go, the Golden Skull has been waiting for you for two hours. I will witness you kill him with my own eyes."

Why do I feel like your subordinate?

Yuki was somewhat annoyed, but still led Hayasaka Ai past him and into the long corridor. The girl was expressionless and her steps were a little stiff until the cheers of the audience brought her back to her senses.

"I feel like everyone here is mentally ill? They're just... this is too much..."

"That was too direct, wasn't it? He really does sound like a mental patient. When he was talking just now, I was afraid he would suddenly attack." Yuki was also a little stunned.

In the past, finding out who the boss was would have been a huge hassle, but this guy just stands right in front of you and gives you a chance for a 'fair battle'.

But the main quest isn't about killing the strongest. Even if you win, you can't return. Only someone with nothing better to do would risk their life like that. As for slaughtering the entire Cult and making your own rules?

If I could do that, I'd kill Adam right now. Why bother with all this trouble?

Yuki. He wasn't afraid of scheming, but he was afraid of this kind of open plot. He knew there was danger in continuing, but he couldn't stop.