Chapter 294

See? What did I tell you? We fought tooth and nail, only to have someone else seize the initiative.

Call.

Mai Sakurajima sighed. She had already heard the Yuki, and there was really nothing wrong with it. This was very important for the future, and the team needed a mage.

There was nothing wrong with her rationally, but she still felt somewhat uncomfortable.

"Miss Frieren, right? I'm Mai Sakurajima. Welcome to the team." Despite her sigh, she still greeted him graciously, taking the coffee from Hayasaka and placing it on the table.

"I've heard Yuki mention you before, and now that I see you, you really are an excellent player."

The second half of the sentence was emphasized, and he glared fiercely at Yuki.

I think I've gotten myself into a really troublesome situation...

Frieren sensed something was amiss, but being with a seemingly emotionless elf, she couldn't quite put her finger on it; she just felt the interpersonal relationships within the team were strange.

A female player who clearly looked weak seemed to be the real team leader, and then Yuki Sorajima turned her head to look at the scenery. What's the meaning of this?

"Thank you all for taking me in. I promise to keep this a secret and do my best for the team."

Thankfully, he's a decent person.

Mai Sakurajima breathed a sigh of relief and carefully examined the other person. The purple-haired girl had a calm expression, revealing seriousness and self-discipline in every way, somewhat similar to Hayasaka Ai's maid form, with 'professionalism' almost written on her face.

Although that pig-headed guy is quite lewd, he has never made a mistake when it comes to serious matters. This Frieren is definitely a strong addition.

A girl who isn't good at expressing her emotions is better than a 'delinquent' like Rebecca Chambers. Mai Sakurajima's dissatisfaction lessened slightly, and she said to the maid, "Hayasaka- san, could you please help Miss Frieren create a room?"

Are you directing me? Do you want to show off your status as the hostess to the newlyweds?

Hayasaka Ai was clever; she pretended not to hear.

Mai Sakurajima smiled and said, "Yuki needs to discuss adding points with Kaguya Hiyori later, so I'll have to trouble you. It's been three days since we returned, and there's still a lot to do."

"Senior, you can take care of it yourself."

"That won't do, I still need to prepare dinner."

"I can cook dinner too."

"Alright, Hayasaka, you take her there. You're more professional at tidying up the room and preparing toiletries," Kaguya quickly interjected, hoping Mai Sakurajima would win.

Sure enough, I got caught up in a complicated web of relationships.

Frieren looked back and forth, feeling as if sparks were flashing in the air, which gave him a headache, but for some reason, he also breathed a sigh of relief.

She'd seen powerful players surrounded by beautiful women before, but never one with such complicated relationships. Women and men were just playthings; they had no right to have a say.

A strong person only needs to give them a look, and they will obediently kneel down and do anything, like puppets. They are so lively and agile as they are now.

So she obediently followed Hayasaka, hoping to get some information out of the maid about why the weak have a voice.

"Yuki, isn't the scenery beautiful? Shouldn't you explain?"

As a warm, gentle voice played in his ear, Yuki's expression changed slightly; he sensed extreme danger.

You'd better be careful when your girlfriend calls your name.

"Not bad, it's a pity we don't have enough points to redeem real sunshine." Yuki smiled and turned around, clapping lightly. "As expected of your senior, you incorporated the new member into the team so easily. You're so composed and generous."

"Pah, stop flattering me." Mai Sakurajima spat lightly, turned to look at Hiyori and Kaguya, and lowered her voice. "Tell me, was this all planned in advance? You weren't watching them for a moment, and they brought back a beautiful girl. You must be overjoyed."

She was very Yuki; no matter how unhappy she was, she didn't direct her anger at him.

"How could that be? I couldn't contact her. It was purely by chance, and then I had a sudden inspiration."

"Is it really that much of a coincidence? I don't believe it."

"Seriously, just tell us if Frieren is a good fit for our team."

These words left Mai Sakurajima speechless. Of course she was suitable; she seemed like an honest kid with considerable strength and the ability to clear out miscellaneous tasks that the team desperately needed.

"But... but why is it another beautiful girl?"

Haha, you're on my track now.

Yuki, being the cunning old fox he is, had already come up with a plan. He immediately became serious and said, "Don't you think it's weird if I find a man?"

It's really strange. Mai Sakurajima can't imagine having a second man in the group; that would be so inconvenient.

"Women won't do, men won't do either, I can't exactly find a cross-dresser. Hmm, actually I have a few targets, why don't you join and give it a try? Getting to know a really cool guy would be great."

"Pah, don't be a pervert!" Mai Sakurajima lightly. As an idol, she knew that some cross-dressers were prettier than young girls.

As for things like "Hey bro, you smell so good," just thinking about it makes me rub my arms, and I get goosebumps.

"That settles it then. I can only look for women. Even Machine Intelligence have genders, so don't worry about appearances. The key is value." Yuki raised his fist, looking like an ambitious man in control of everything.

"From now on, all new brides will be women. What kind of eyesight do you have? There's no logical flaw in your reasoning."

The living room was silent. Both Hiyori, who was reading, and Kaguya, who was watching the drama unfold, were stunned by the impeccable logic and shamelessness. In the end, it was Mai Sakurajima- senpai's fault.

"You..." Mai Sakurajima raised her trembling hand, and after a long while, she managed to choke out, "Anyway, from now on, everyone has to vote to agree."

"Yes, sir!"

Mai Sakurajima reluctantly went to cook, Yuki finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Perfect completion.

He always advocated reasoning, using physical means with enemies and verbal communication with his own people—he was an expert in both.

"What are you two peeking at? Come here right now!" Yuki glared at the two onlookers.

"Why are you being so fierce?" Kaguya's lips moved slightly. It had been a long time since she had put on that ice-cold beauty act; lately, she had even started to resemble a comedian.

Yuki didn't pay much attention to her. After the cruel Reincarnation Game, the people around him had all changed to some extent.

Beneath her elegant appearance, Kaguya is fiercely competitive. She even set up an archery target in the courtyard and spends her free time practicing her archery skills.

Needless to say, Hiyori is a bookworm. She just brought back a huge pile of books from the Borderlands and spends her days lazily curled up on the sofa reading.

"Let's go to the garden, and talk as we walk."

Yuki waved his hand, opened the side door next to the window, and led the two into the garden.

Thanks to the senior student's meticulous care, various rare flowers bloom in abundance, filling the air with a rich fragrance.

"You guys seem to be enjoying yourselves quite a bit," Yuki with a hint of envy; he'd only been here a few times.

"You're just too busy, but as Hayasaka said, we're only able to leisurely enjoy our return to normal life thanks to you. Hey, what kind of expression is that!"

Yuki chuckled and shrugged. "You do have some conscience, but that's too kind. We're all working hard for the team. I can't do many things on my own."

He dragged over a recliner and comfortably crossed his legs.

"Kaguya, you killed the Ship Spirit?"

"Actually, they gave it to me, especially Hiyori who read my weakness, which allowed me to strike with deadly precision." Kaguya thanked Hiyori gracefully, but the latter waved her hands repeatedly, indicating that she hadn't done anything.

The four of them have become increasingly adept at teamwork, and in many situations, Hayasaka can take on the main role, proving to be no weaker than factions like the Shadow Realm.

Yuki was pleased with the team's growth and also liked the atmosphere where everyone was on the same page. Seeing that Hiyori was about to speak, he raised his hand to stop her.

"We'll talk about the daytime information later. Let's add the points first; you two both need to reach the Transcendental Grade level."

The gap between the Transcendental Grade and the monster is too great, but at least they have the ability to fight back. Those below the Transcendental Grade level are just cannon fodder. No matter how well they coordinate, Yuki can mow down enemies without batting an eye.

With some deliberate elements, Kaguya Shinomiya and Hiyori benefited greatly, even accumulating five specialization points.

"You should all upgrade your traits. Physical fitness can wait. Anyway, the special items we got from the Defense Force can sustain us." This was the Yuki got from Frieren. The difference between players lies in their talent. If everyone pursues physical fitness, there will be no difference.

Extraordinary-level physical abilities are sufficient; that means being able to lift a car with one hand, far exceeding human capabilities.

The two naturally didn't object, and each upgraded their traits to LV.4, which, as expected, produced a qualitative change.

[True Shot, Sure Hit LV.4: Greatly increases shooting accuracy while focused; targets will always be hit. Limit effect: 10 arrows. Cooldown: 30 minutes.]

Is it absolutely accurate?

Yuki understood immediately; a few words changed everything. Kaguya used to be very accurate, but she could still dodge. Moreover, a guaranteed hit from the True Shot, Sure Hit 'focus'—one couldn't be disturbed.

"Kaguya, find a way to increase your range and single-shot power. Since you're guaranteed to hit, make every arrow count."

This is a sniper-style build, abandoning the agility of a ranger, and its advantages and disadvantages are obvious.

"But that makes my battles very dependent on the terrain." Kaguya stroked her chin; she was a very opinionated person.

"We should determine where the battle will take place. Don't worry, I'm very good at that."

Yuki smiled sinisterly. Besides wielding a sword to kill, he was even more adept at creating conditions for battle, a skill everyone had experienced.

Now that the route is determined, finding the reinforcement points is straightforward.

First, use 4 enhancement points to upgrade the Scatterlight Arrow to the Arcane Grade level. While keeping the number of arrows unchanged at 20, add a Radiant Pierce.

This feature greatly increases the Piercer against defensive items, making it particularly effective against Iron Turtle.

The remaining 6 enhancement points were used in a somewhat unexpected way. Yuki had her put all of them into the 'Black Iron Thumb Ring', upgrading it from a level 3 item to level 5.

[Chaos Item: Black Iron Thumb Ring (Arcane Grade Level)]

[Significantly increases the user's firing range; everything within sight is a kill zone. Limited to bow and arrow weapons; maximum range 50 kilometers.]

[Side effect: The greater the distance, the worse the accuracy, and the slower the draw speed.]

[Description: Skilled archers all possess a fine thumb ring, forged from black iron; though not particularly exquisite, it is highly practical.]

A tool with very distinct advantages and disadvantages, and in the Reincarnation Game, no one would use brute force to draw the bow.

"This is too far away, what if I can't see it?" Kaguya pondered. She knew that her greatest advantage was her special ability, and she had scouted the Borderlands during her trip.

Transcendental Grade skills or items related to accurate shooting are rare and extremely expensive; after all, for an archer, no matter how powerful the shot, it's useless if it misses.

With expertise in two areas, her overall evaluation has reached the Transcendental Grade Level II.

"Then it depends on Hiyori." Yuki decisively looked to the other side. Hiyori was smart enough that he didn't need to guide her.

All points have been allocated; all four specialization points have been invested in traits.

[Reality Reading LV.4]

[Analytical Reading: Provides super-fast analysis of all surrounding details, granting Transcendental Grade vision and the ability to rewind time. Activation time: 10 minutes; Cooldown time: 30 minutes]

[Shared Reading: Designate 3 players in the same squad to share their five senses and create a virtual discussion group (undetectable) within a 200-kilometer radius. Activation time: 10 minutes. Cooldown time: 30 minutes.]

Like Death Knell, it has an additional mode, somewhat similar to the abilities of Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's subordinates. It can function as a reading group or as an internal chat room.

This is a strategic characteristic, but when combined with Kaguya, it becomes a tactical characteristic.

"How did you know!?" Kaguya. Hiyori had prepared this for her; sharing it would allow her to see it and shoot from tens of kilometers away.

"I don't know, this is a pleasant surprise." Yuki shrugged. He had originally planned to upgrade the Spirit Particle Communicator like crazy, since items that share vision are not uncommon in the Reincarnation Game.

With the Hiyori 'll use 4 to upgrade Future Deduction to Master level, and then save the other 4.

"I want to find Bloodline Object to enhance the bloodline skills of Psychic Warrior, which will further improve the control precision of the Void Puppet." As he spoke, Hiyori snapped his fingers, summoning two golems.

The blurry shadows swayed in the field of vision, moving swiftly, and even seemed to float.

"The rational choice is to prioritize bloodline skills, traits, and physical attributes for the greatest improvement in evaluation. Of course, the actual score isn't that important."

Yuki recalled his biggest gain from the Global Insect Calamity: Bloodline skills were also fertile ground. He closed his eyes, and the stats of each member of the team flashed before his eyes (attached below). He then comfortably sank into his recliner.

A leap forward.

Squad Panel

Player: Yuki (Experienced dungeons: Bloodthirsty Red Moon, Demon Hospital, the Bystander Is Blind, Calamity of Blood, Global Insect Calamity)

Faction: None

Achievement: Insect Race Cleaner

Epic Achievement: The War-Ender

Physical Strength: LV8

Storage space: 8 cubic meters

Ego Trait: Unknowner's Mystic Code (LV.3), one memory storage space, draws a positive Mystic Code, cooldown: one dungeon cycle.

Equipment: Hunter's Double-Barreled Blunderbuss +3 (Arcane Grade), Phantom Twin Blades (Transcendental Grade)