Chapter 233
Horikita Suzune specializes in trace evidence analysis and is the team's human radar.
"It's somewhat similar to the 'Anywhere Door' we encountered before," Sakayanagi Arisu analyzed from the side, pausing before saying, "Being stuck here isn't a solution; we have to get out."
"I know, but I don't know what terrifying thing is waiting outside." Ayanokoji wasn't as Yuki as Yuuki. After hesitating for a moment, he strode forward and carefully turned the brass handle.
Click.
The door was unlocked, and he turned to nod slightly to the fully armed Sakayanagi Arisu and the others, then suddenly pulled the door open and stuck half his head out.
A simple corridor came into view, with wall lamps casting a bright light.
Hotel?
Just like Yuki had been, the boy was immediately stunned. He had also imagined many scenarios, but he had never thought of this moment.
But he was even luckier than Yuki. With a click of the lock, the door across the hall opened, revealing a familiar head.
Iori Kitahara blinked and saw his teammates from the previous dungeon. As a 'simple-minded' person, he didn't have much hope for 'ascension'.
Does this mean everyone coming from Earth has to be quarantined first? Wait, who's that guy on the left wearing a gas mask? Isn't he a player from the Shadow World?
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka made a series of speculations in an instant, and before he could even leave the room, the familiar murmur echoed in his mind.
[Welcome to the Outpost, player Cold-Faced Man]
[Your faction is Thorny Rose]
[You received the following notification:]
[1. Outpost are landing points for players from different worlds, and all players belong to the same faction.]
[2. Chaos Item, Transcendental Grade skills, and mutual attacks are prohibited at this Outpost.]
[3. The road ahead has been cleared; you can proceed to the Borderlands through the lobby.]
[4. Private space activated, players can exchange for related items]
[5. Points system unlocked, permissions updated, glossary updated]
[6. Players can seek explanations for terms such as 'world,' 'faction,' 'Outpost,' 'Borderlands,' 'points,' and 'pioneer.']
This was perhaps the longest notification since joining the game, and all the players who opened the door looked the same, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information.
After the dozen or so tips were finished, they all looked up at each other, then closed the door together.
No one can go out for a stroll all day; everyone has to brainstorm and carefully study the setting.
Chapter Two: The Cosmic Insect Disaster
While the bigwigs from all sides of Earth were heading to the Outpost to begin their careful research, Yuki took the lead and left.
He was unaware that the Outpost had become lively, and he paid no attention to what was happening there, focusing solely on pushing through the dungeon.
Buzzing...
The sound of machinery?
Yuki heard strange noises without opening her eyes, and at the same time felt her body become light, with a slight sense of weightlessness.
When I opened my eyes, the bright light shone in, causing my pupils to contract slightly. I tilted my head back and saw the yellow and white light strips and the steel ceiling.
This doesn't resemble architecture on Earth.
Everything around me was gray, made entirely of steel, and I felt as if I were locked in an iron box, but it didn't feel like a prison cell.
There was a row of dark red chairs on both sides of the wall, where Mai Sakurajima, Hayasaka Ai, Shiina Hiyori, Kaguya Shinomiya, and others were sitting neatly.
They exchanged glances, all somewhat bewildered. First, the environment was completely unfamiliar; even in the Calamity of Blood, it was just a normal rest area. Second, this was the first time they had all been in the same room since entering a dungeon.
As before, players will be separated, reunite before the game starts, listen to mission prompts, and then officially begin the game.
This is also a kind of elimination mechanism; players who are too slow to react or are overly timid will be eliminated before the game even starts.
But this time it's different. Why are we together right from the start, and this room looks weird?
The ceiling features recessed light strips, the walls are lightweight and gleam with a metallic clang, and numerous buttons adorn the walls, giving it a high-tech feel.
Without Yuki saying a word, Hiyori had already activated 'Reality Reading,' taking in the entire room and experiencing it in detail.
"Wait, we're on a ship."
"Yeah, it definitely feels like it's moving, and something just feels off."
Hiyori didn't answer. She quickly walked to the other end of the room, where there were countless buttons and a holographic screen. She slowly scanned the screen and gently pressed one of the buttons.
Ugh--
With the sound of a motor turning, a steel plate on the left wall slowly rose, revealing a glass porthole behind it. Hayasaka Ai, who was sitting next to her, turned her head and immediately opened her mouth wide.
She saw the dark starry sky, and below, a pale green planet was emitting a faint light.
"We're in space."
"What?"
Everyone, including Yuki, rushed over and looked out the porthole, speechless.
This is a scene that only appears in movies. They never dreamed that they could overlook a planet. Some people even rubbed their eyes to make sure that it was not a holographic projection.
They were indeed on a ship, but this ship was sailing among the stars. Even though arriving at the Reincarnation Game was already fantastical enough, the instances they had experienced before weren't this exaggerated.
It consists of either small towns or hospitals, with the largest area being Battle on the Raging Seas, which can be estimated to be roughly the size of the Caribbean Sea.
But now a planet is right beneath their feet; the range of this jump is far too great.
"It seems the Reincarnation Game really is different now." Yuki felt his breath catch in his throat. Even he hadn't prepared for space warfare. The United States could send a few people to the moon was already the Limit human imagination.
"Have we somehow stumbled into some high-tech civilization?" Mai Sakurajima was also a bit confused. She had seen a space drama before, but it was all special effects.
"That's a huge leap. We're just a bunch of high school students doing homework. What makes us think we've made it to space?"
"It must be high-tech; we didn't even float up in space."
"That planet is so beautiful, it's like Jade."
A cacophony of voices arose, like a group of ancient people suddenly arriving in a modern city, filled with curiosity about everything around them.
Yuki, being experienced and knowledgeable, was the first to calm down and quickly clapped his hands.
"Quiet down, everyone. It's just space. What we've experienced is far more incredible than this. Astronauts can look down at Earth, but can they see demons, monsters, or Blood God?"
Yuki's reasoning is sound; he's right. He's seen similar scenes in movies, but witnessing a giant sword fall from the blood-red sky and destroy a city is something no movie can portray.
"Ahem, he's right. What's so great about overlooking a planet? You can do that on Earth for a few billion yen." Kaguya felt a little embarrassed and immediately turned around and sat down. "Just treat it as a special effect in the dungeon. The key is to complete the mission."
"Yes, we've had a close encounter with God. Perhaps the phantom outside the window is the one interfering with us, and the instance is taking place on this ship."
"No, senior, we're approaching that planet." Hiyori's eyes gleamed; she was still in her special ability state.
"What, this isn't a game texture?"
"Alright, alright, focus on the task at hand. There are plenty of incredible things to come," Yuki said again, even as he kept glancing out the window.
Starting a mission on a starship is unheard of, but that doesn't matter.
"We've been staying together since the start; it's probably a requirement of the 'faction quest'," he offered a feeble explanation, then looked up and asked, "Hiyori, is there a door-opening button on that control panel?"
"Yes, and it says this is 'Landing Pod 15'," Hiyori replied, noticing that it was definitely not Earth script, but thankfully she could understand it.
The landing module? The stage is indeed on that Emerald Planet.
Yuki breathed a sigh of relief. Figuring out the mission location was important, but he still had some doubts.
Why not just appear on a planet? Why bother in space just to shock us country bumpkins?
Yuki didn't quite understand, but he knew that the Reincarnation Game wasn't so boring. Just as he had thought, the game content was indeed somewhat different.
He looked towards the other end of the landing area, where the outline of a gate could be seen, and a thought suddenly struck him.
"Hiyori, may I open the door?"
"There's a countdown timer on it, and it's still green, so it should be fine."
If the door can be opened, then the players outside are from other factions?
He was somewhat restless. Having already witnessed the other factions at the Borderlands, he wasn't overly curious; rather, he Repulsion from the game's setup:
Since everyone on my side is in the same landing pod, can I do the opposite?
Judging from the situation at the Outpost, for some reason, I am not on the same side as the senior students. It seems that I can take advantage of this and seize the initiative.
First, it verifies the conjecture of 'nothingness'; second, it lays the groundwork for the game before it officially begins.
The group first examined whether the contract item was usable, and after confirming that it was, they handed the bamboo slip of the 'Soil-Offering Contract' to Yuki.
"Check if the Spirit Particle Communicator are working properly."
"Yuki, you want to act alone?" Mai Sakurajima knew this idiot all too well and immediately retorted.
"It's one in the light and one in the dark. Do you remember our previous analysis?"
Everyone certainly remembers the discussions about 'factions,' which were like deliberately dividing players into different roles and creating points of conflict.
While it won't be a massive free-for-all, it will definitely emphasize identity more than previous instances. Players of the same faction aren't necessarily friends, but those of different factions are definitely enemies.
"You mean to use that secret to strategically deceive other players?" Hiyori reacted the fastest, thinking to herself that Yuki was a real schemer, turning the tables and exploiting the bug.
It's difficult for people from different camps to trust each other, but they can certainly rely on each other for support. No wonder they need codebooks; they even considered the possibility of being eavesdropped on by the enemy.
"That's only one aspect. I can test the team issue alone to see if we can overcome the barriers between factions."
If it's true, that's the most suspicious part; he even prepared a gold pen to conceal his identity.
Yuki thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "If that doesn't work, it'll be easier for me to silence you since you're not around."
Oops, I almost forgot that Mr. Yuki is ruthless.
Hiyori quietly stepped back a little. She had no more questions. Besides, doing so would ensure the safety of the four of them. Even the wisest person couldn't have predicted that a player from another faction would jump out to help.
Such errors and omissions would be fatal.
[All players, prepare to enter the landing pod. Thirty-minute countdown begins.]
The notification sounded abruptly, indirectly proving that the landing module could be evacuated, and that thirty minutes was far too long.
"Does this leave time for players to interact with each other or explore the spaceship?" Hayasaka Ai raised an eyebrow; the game had given players options from the very beginning.
They were 'born' inside the landing pod, clearly not required to meet up before the game started, meaning each player had ample time to prepare.
Yuki didn't answer, but his cunning radar kicked in, and he suddenly realized that some players might be using similar tricks.
But they were acting, and no matter how realistic their acting was, they couldn't escape the cycle of Reincarnation Game.
"You all stay here, I'll go out and take a look."
Communication was normal, Yuki didn't wait any longer. He nodded slightly to Hiyori by the door, who immediately pressed the button.
Beep beep beep.
An electronic alarm sounded, several door locks were unlocked, and the iron door, about an inch thick, slowly lifted. Yuki smiled at his worried senior and stared ahead.
He saw a steel corridor outside the door, but there was no one in sight and he could not hear any sound.
"Hiyori, close the door. Don't contact other players. If I'm wrong, I'll be right back."
Yuki decisively left the landing module, not even glancing back when he heard the door close.
Because he was new to the place and the 'primitive man' had never seen such a high-end scene before, Yuki walked hurriedly, his eyes darting back and forth.
He didn't waste time analyzing the steel corridor, the bright light strips, and the unknown patterns on the walls; he memorized them all.
After walking a hundred meters, the door at the end of the corridor opened automatically, and the view suddenly opened up.
It was a huge space, resembling a hangar, about twenty meters high, divided into five levels by a staircase. Each level had ten large doors on the walls, some open and some closed.
Yuki glanced at the doors and saw that they were numbered; the one to his left was marked '14'.
There are so many landing modules!
There are probably hundreds of them. Looking closer, number 15 is flashing red, while number 27 on the opposite side is green, which makes it clear that not every landing pod has a player inside.
Along with the view, there was also a cacophony of sounds, which sounded like a standoff.
Yuki frowned, quietly slipped out the door, and peeked out from behind the railing—