Chapter 195

Wu Raian remained silent for a moment before cursing inwardly for 'bragging'. He slowly moved his eyes upward and vaguely saw a figure.

"Get to work. Someone like you isn't going to be soft-hearted. Be quick and efficient, stop dawdling like a woman."

The cold blade rested against the other's neck, but Yuki didn't apply any force. He tentatively asked, "I'm waiting for you to tell me your story."

"Huh? You remember, did you think I could live if I told you?"

"Of course not, so you don't have to say." Yuki wasn't lying; this was respect for the strong.

"Haha, the ending is the same, isn't it? Fine, since you at least fought me for a while, I can tell you." Wu Raian, no longer displaying his previous madness, opened his mouth:

"The story isn't exciting; it's just about an unlucky guy who enters a dungeon, gets wiped out by all his teammates, and is unable to leave for some reason, so he can only keep fighting and waiting for the next opportunity."

"I have no complaints about the combat; this dungeon suits me perfectly. However, it gets boring after a while, with only a few enemies after all the killing. Only when you guys came and the story progressed a step forward did we encounter some truly formidable opponents. After experiencing it firsthand, I can attest to how exhilarating it was!"

Hiyori's prediction was correct; the number of warriors was indeed limited, creating an endless Slaughter Cycle. When players weren't present, there were no warriors here, or rather, warriors were being trained in the meantime.

As Yuki listened and pondered, he asked with considerable interest, "Why did you stay?"

"The rules, you know? Didn't you receive them?"

"It seems our rules Taiyi; I don't have that opportunity." Yuki already knew that three defeats meant certain death, with no chance of survival, and asked curiously, "Since you enjoy fighting, there's no need to leave in such a hurry."

"I've already said it, killing the same opponents repeatedly is boring." Wu Raian was quite persistent at this point, then snorted, "Of course, I'm not going back. I'm just waiting to either kill you all or be killed by you."

Is it impossible to return? And why is that?

Yuki had more questions, but then he saw Wu Raian's eyes begin to glaze over, knowing that his time was running out.

There are still many questions I want to ask, such as the ultimate secret of this instance, how much he knows about the Reincarnation Game, and why the two sides could meet even though they are not on the same timeline.

"What else can you tell me about this dungeon?" After thinking for a while, Yuki decided to deal with the immediate problem first.

"Would you believe me if I told you?"

"At least it can serve as a reference; I'm not that easily fooled."

That's true.

Wu Raian gave a self-deprecating laugh and spoke in an increasingly weak voice, most of which Yuki already knew.

It's like Slaughter Cycle, the unique characteristics of each character; it's like the preciousness of the player.

Given their style of doing things here, it's not that the Cult can't deal with the players; it's just that their methods are too ruthless, and they only care about the dead.

Arrests and detentions are out of the question; if they actually lay a hand on you, they'll either kill you or you'll kill them, proving the old saying true:

The hospitable Yadu Town, Bloodlight City and simple folk customs.

In a sense, this style is truly simple and unpretentious.

'The senior students were right not to force their way in; in a sense, the Cult really couldn't do anything about it.'

Killing the senior and the others would only result in my own annihilation, so I might as well kill them all.

"Also, don't waste too much energy on those idiots in the city and the deathmatch arena. Just catch the Cult members and kill them." Wu Raian's voice was even weaker.

"You mean they're not in the loop?" Yuki frowned, catching the key point.

"Smart, killing them would be more meaningful."

"Then what is the significance of the players?"

"Sacrifice, just imagine this deathmatch arena magnified many times over, with many people fighting wildly inside, everyone killing and killing, and then the two most watched people decide the winner, igniting the entire arena." Wu Raian's voice was filled with longing, as if dying would be worthwhile.

Yuki, completely uninterested, instinctively asked, "Sacrifice? To whom is it offered as a sacrifice? Why is it offered?"

"How would I know? I haven't even gotten that far." The man's scattered gaze focused on Yuki's face, revealing a sinister smile, "As far as I know, no one has ever left this instance alive."

Are you trying to scare me?

Yuki frowned, sensing that he didn't seem to be joking, and there was something strangely familiar about the smell.

But Wu Raian quickly stopped smiling and changed the subject, "Since you're so smart, why don't you help me kill a few people if you get the chance?"

"Who do you want to kill?" Yuki leaned forward, his voice so soft he could barely be heard.

"Tokita Ohma, Kiryu Setsuna, Yujiro Hanma, and..." Wu Raian's voice trailed off, then suddenly, the mangled body sprang up, its mouth full of white teeth snapping at Yuki's neck, roaring in an almost manic voice, "Isshin Ashina!!"

Puff.

The blade slashed precisely into his neck, severing the carotid artery. Yuki was thinking; it was a completely subconscious action, and for the first time, he regretted swinging the blade too fast.

Incandescence blood splattered on his face, but he didn't have time to wipe it away because he was thinking.

The first two names were quite normal, but Yujiro Hanma was a character from Baki. Yuki initially thought he had mixed them up, but when he heard Isshin Ashina, he was momentarily stunned.

This is definitely not a character from a different work, or even from the same time and space. Could it be that, like me, this player encountered another player from a different world in a game?

"That's more like it. I've been rambling on and on, and you still haven't given me a straight answer." Wu Raian clearly saw the shock in Yuki's eyes and was also a little curious. "Logically speaking, you shouldn't know them. Come on, let me answer one last question for you."

One question isn't enough; I have at least a hundred questions waiting to be answered.

Yuki's mind was in complete chaos. He realized that Wu Raian's life force was rapidly fading and that his entire being was beginning to dissipate. He couldn't care less about anything else now.

"Are you in the same world?"

"What... is the world?"

Damn it, I'm the one asking you.

A mouthful of blood splattered on his face, Yuki didn't bother to wipe it away. He hurriedly asked, "Faction? Yes, are you in the same faction? What faction?"

Wu Raian's body began to turn to ashes, which didn't seem like a side effect of excessive burning. Even the nodachi began to dissipate. Yuki subconsciously reached out to catch it, but only touched a cloud of dust.

In just two or three seconds, the demon pierced by the long sword vanished into thin air, Yuki remained leaning forward, like a statue.

He heard Wu Raian's final answer, which was very simple.

Faction: Battle Maniac.

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Wisdom of All-in (4K)

No one knows what faction is; according to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's guess, that's the theme of the next phase.

As more mysteries emerge, Yuki's attention shifts from the instance to the entire Reincarnation Game.

To my surprise, I actually received an answer.

Yuki glanced at the ashes in front of him and suddenly realized that Wu Raian must be a player who had completed the epic quest and entered the next stage.

Battle Maniac? What does that mean?

The vocabulary was somewhat unfamiliar; to others, it would just be a noun. But Yuki possessed a unique talent that he hadn't used much of.

He knew all the people Wu Raian wanted to kill.

Tokita Ohma, Kiryu Setsuna, Yujiro Hanma, Isshin Ashina...

Some of these names are familiar; I can picture them with my eyes closed. Others are slightly unfamiliar, but I still know their general characteristics.

Because of this familiarity, by arranging and combining these names, we can quickly analyze their commonalities.

They're all melee masters, all battle maniacs, that's why they're called Battle Maniac?

Yuki licked his lips, finding no fault with the analysis, and used it as a stepping stone to speculate further.

Could it be that 'factions' are categorized based on player characteristics? If so, does that mean I'm a Battle Maniac, and after 'ascending,' I'll have to mingle with these people?

Yuki immediately wore a pained expression. These hot-blooded monsters were all incredibly difficult to deal with, and what about his seniors? They were nothing like the Battle Maniac.

"That shouldn't be right. Each player has more than one characteristic. For example, I have the traits of a schemer. If we were to categorize players by characteristics, there would be thousands of factions. The key issue is Wu Raian's previous problem."

What are your characteristics? What limitations or privileges do you have?

If we exclude psychological tactics, does this prove that the limitations and rewards differ for each type of player?

But how do you explain Isshin Ashina? Baki and Kengan Ashura can be roughly combined into one worldview, just like Mai Sakurajima and Hayasaka Ai coexist, but I remember Isshin Ashina was a person from the Sengoku period.

Is "faction" a general term that spans multiple worlds? Or did Wu Raian, like me, encounter Isshin Ashina in a certain instance?

Yuki had a headache, and he couldn't ask Hiyori for help analyzing this, as the latter was completely unfamiliar with these names.

[Player Yuki, you have ended the Forsaken.]

[You can randomly inherit one of the abilities of the Forsaken.]

A strange murmur suddenly broke the silence, interrupting Yuki's wandering thoughts.

Huh? Isn't he Battle Maniac? And what does "Forsaken" mean?

Yuki felt that this battle was both physically and mentally exhausting, so he quickly focused his attention; now was not the time to think about the Reincarnation Game's settings.

Randomly inherit one of his abilities?

Without any enhancement points, Yuki's breathing instantly became heavy, and in a daze, he saw a pattern appear before his eyes.

They were two crossed swords, dripping blood, somewhat like the playing cards flipped over when drawing Reinforcement Magecraft during the Bloodthirsty Red Moon.

As the blood dripped down, his breathing became heavier, and he suddenly realized that this was a huge reward.

Wu Raian's sudden attack was outrageous; it could be said that he was driven to the brink of despair. Both the wild katana and the unleashing of his burning potential were valuable assets.

[You have acquired the Transcendental Grade skill: Demon Martial Arts]

Um?

Yuki paused for a moment, then quickly looked for the explanation.

[This is the product of player Wu Raian's extensive experience in countless battles, mastering and extending hundreds of fighting techniques, including the Wu family's secret techniques, including--]

[Lion's Frenzy, Falling Fang, Instant Blade...]

Ah, so that's what it is.

Yuki immediately understood, without the slightest regret.

Good things aren't necessarily Wu Raian's most powerful skills or items, but they are definitely what he lacks most.

This is the fighting style, or rather, the moves. Yuki himself is not a genius, and there can be no real fighters in the real world. Whether it's Demon Possession or Reinforcement Magecraft, these are all equivalent to internal strength.

Yuki's fighting style is just average-level combat techniques and swordsmanship. He can easily overpower opponents with brute force, but he will suffer when he encounters an opponent of similar strength.

To give an example, even an ordinary person with exceptional physical abilities needs to undergo professional training to run faster, including aspects like stride rhythm and breathing speed—what is commonly referred to as technique.

Techniques are something that require countless trials and tribulations, improvements and summaries made through repeated life-or-death battles, and also involve mystical elements like 'insight'. I've only been in the Reincarnation Game for a little over a month, how could I possibly have developed a new style?

There is only one shortcut: learn from Hiyori, master combat and weaponry to the Master level, evolve Transcendental Grade skills, and then slowly progress from the Master level upwards.

But how many enhancement points would that require?

"Besides, this Transcendental Grade skill doesn't have levels; I've essentially inherited Wu Raian's life's worth of accumulated knowledge?"

Yuki suddenly felt like he'd hit the jackpot. He could always find more Alienated Grade items later, but when would he ever meet a battle-hardened, self-made Battle Maniac?

Thanks.

He nodded slightly. This opponent, whom he had only known for an hour, had filled the last gap in his skills, but he had managed to snatch it from him. A simple thank you was enough.

As the dust gradually settled, amidst a familiar sense of disgust, Yuki slowly turned around and stepped off the arena, treading through the deep craters in the ground.

He won again. Still, no one could see the battle, but his Limit had been exposed. Given the apostle's strength, it wasn't hard to see that he almost lost.

But when he looked up, his pupils seemed to freeze slightly.

Isn't that the student council president of Shuchiin?

Yuki saw the boy with bangs and squinty eyes. The boy didn't flinch and even smiled and nodded at him.

Without a doubt, this was aimed at me.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's warning came true. To be honest, Yuki was full of questions and still didn't understand why these people were so persistent in their pursuit of him.

He only knew one thing:

These people must die, or the consequences will be dire.

But this is difficult to do. The Cult clearly values them more, and they've stipulated that players can't freely enter the deathmatch arena. Isn't this obviously giving them preferential treatment?

Yuki felt troubled. Judging from their combat strength alone, the opponent was overwhelmingly superior. All he could rely on was Two-Gun Zhang and the somewhat 'fair' rules of this instance.

No rush. There's still time Adam directly, and I've also gained important intelligence from Wu Raian.

Yuki remained calm. As soon as he stepped off the ring, Abate approached him, head bowed. "Mr. Kevin, shall we go to the lounge?"

"You feel ashamed?" Yuki asked.