Chapter 306
"Then there's no need to worship that damn Witch God. Let everyone rest for a bit, and we'll prepare to enter the tower." Yuki stated his attitude towards the Witch God for the first time, and sure enough, he saw a flash of surprise in Peggy's eyes.
Rebels, no wonder he's been testing me all along.
Yuki recalled his observations along the way, such as the expectant looks in the eyes of kings and nobles when they sent invitations, and the mercenaries who were constantly being refined along the road.
These are all conspiracies, but unfortunately, they're too childish and too obvious to the old fox. Peggy needs to hone her skills more.
"Are you sure you want to get on their ship?" Frieren was also observing. Peggy wasn't hiding it very well either, but Yuki seemed more like he was going with the flow.
The Rebels' attempt to openly stop Tanta is suicidal; they stand in opposition to all the people of the Red Soil and seem to lack the strength to confront the Alliance or the Nobles head-on.
"To truly deal with the tower explorers, we must enter the tower; there's no need to fight the army outside." Yuki began to put himself in their shoes and made a guess. "Only the players can bring them into the tower, and only we wouldn't care about any Witch God's faith."
"But players are also tower explorers, so in a sense they are also enemies."
"Hmm, so I want to see what these Rebels are up to. Do you remember the myth that Hiyori found out?"
Frieren paused for a moment, recalling the contradictory myth, and roughly understood Yuki's choice.
He didn't care at all about the clashes between the various indigenous forces; Yuki only cared about the Witch God in the background. The Rebels must have had deeper reasons for preventing people from exploring the tower.
"You mean they were enemies of the Witch God? That's why they were hunted down by various forces?"
"I can't find any other reason to stop it. This tower exploration event is beneficial to all levels. We should make contact first, otherwise it will be too late to plan ahead in the next stage."
Yuki precautions. He didn't know the purpose of the tower's existence, nor did he know whether the Witch God was dead or alive, or what his attitude was towards the players. Based on past experience, anything related to 'gods' was an enemy.
That's how the matter was decided. If the Alliance hadn't been so secretive, Yuki might have even sent Frieren to contact them and then turned the nobles, Rebels, and the Alliance into 'one of their own'.
The mercenaries set up camp and began their final preparations before entering the tower. Yuki noticed that a few more people had secretly joined the group, and he kept receiving prying glances, but he pretended not to see them.
A messenger from the Noble Alliance came to see Yuki, saying that the prince wanted to see him. Again, he refused without hesitation. One of the messengers made a harsh statement, Yuki chopped off one of his hands and sent it back to the prince.
The two camps were a kilometer apart. As hostility spread, the army began to form ranks, but showed no intention of attacking.
This proves that the restrictions Peggy mentioned were effective; no fighting was allowed before entering the tower for the first time, and this precaution was more defensive.
The players are leaving anyway, so they don't care about any spots. If things really get serious, they won't even have time to cry.
Subsequently, the mercenary group's situation made the speculation more and more plausible. It was clear that they had broken ties with the nobles, yet about 30 people still hadn't withdrawn. The real mercenaries had long since chosen to protect themselves and make a living.
"You're too lazy to even pretend anymore?" Yuki, holding a teacup while Frieren started a fire to boil water. He glanced sideways at the obedient-looking mercenary captain.
"We only have a dozen or so hours in total, we don't have time to probe slowly." Peggy's tone was sincere but helpless as she scratched her head. "But you are smarter and more straightforward than I thought."
The player only arrived in the town yesterday and didn't have time to carefully select anything. Similarly, the player was completely unaware of the power distribution on the Red Earth Continent.
If Yuki is too stupid, they'll secretly switch him out and hitch a ride.
"Actually, you acted quite well. Anyway, the probability of something going wrong is relatively small. We were only there for a short time, and we didn't have time to join forces with the nobles to set a trap." Yuki nodded approvingly. He also didn't like complicated interpersonal relationships; it was better for everyone to be straightforward.
"The Tower Explorers are impossible to hide. They were spotted before we even entered the town. If we had accepted the nobles' invitation, you would have abandoned us. It's precisely because I don't care about those nobles and I'm not as unapproachable as some of my kind that you keep increasing your offers. At the very least, you can hitch a ride with me."
"Furthermore, if I'm not mistaken, similar tactics have been used many times before. The reason you're so adept at it is because it's all derived from the life lessons of your predecessors."
Peggy first gave a wry smile, then became serious, and finally her lips began to twitch.
This Mr. Li was not only clever, but also incredibly shrewd. He seemed indifferent, but he was actually very perceptive and had already revealed all their thoughts, rendering their prepared remarks completely useless.
That's right, this is experience passed down from our predecessors. All those who venture into the tower are traps. The only ones who can offer help are these chosen tower explorers who are indifferent to the Witch God and act without any scruples.
However, any chosen explorer who has any contact with nobles is untrustworthy. He was lucky enough to run into Yuki, which at least ensured his neutrality.
"Since you know everything, why don't you ask?"
"Do I even need to ask? You just showed up on your own." Yuki a sip of tea, his casual demeanor carrying a heavy sense of oppression. "Everyone is a transaction, and transactions stem from interests, including now. You should know best who the Chosen Tower Explorers are."
Players have no fixed stance; they only care about who has more chips and who can offer more benefits.
"Oh, right, you're lucky. If you had come any later, I would have killed you all and then used your heads to claim a reward from the nobles."
With a calm tone, he uttered the cruelest words. Yuki disliked being treated like a fool unless they were important enough.
Peggy glanced at the twin swords at Yuki's waist, had no doubt that he could do it, and immediately knelt down.
"Sir, I am extremely sorry, but we were forced to resort to such underhanded tactics. If the scouts discover this, the mission will fail."
"You only found me as your target?"
"Well, there are other targets, but definitely not many."
Yuki nodded. Normal players would also choose the noble path, which offers more benefits. If his seniors hadn't already taken this route, he would have already killed these sneaky people to farm reputation.
"Tell me what benefits you can offer. Think about it seriously; if I'm not satisfied, I really will kill you."
"You don't need to threaten a nobody like me."
"Henchman? You mean you have no authority whatsoever, or are you planning to talk to me about some trivial matter like a pledge of allegiance?"
Shouldn't I be more direct? You've already been so blunt, how could I dare to reveal such core secrets?
Peggy was dumbfounded and simply remained silent.
According to the organization's plan, the first contact should be made after Yuki kills the other tower explorers. Once the deal is finalized, Yuki will leave the Yuki and use the remaining slots to bring the real key figures into the tower.
"Oh, so you sensed danger and were afraid you wouldn't even get a ride, so you sent someone to contact me beforehand. Don't look at me like that, I can't read minds." Yuki slowly put down his teacup, his eyes indifferent yet dangerous.
"An hour ago, five more mercenaries in disguise joined the group. Fifteen minutes ago, two of them sneaked away. Do you think they can escape the forest if things really come to a head?"
The atmosphere suddenly became tense. The usually obsequious mercenary captain became resolute, staring directly at Yuki like a death knight, as if to provoke him into a challenge.
The two stared at each other for a few seconds. The mercenaries scattered around quietly picked up their weapons, and Frieren put down his water bottle and took out his staff.
Unexpectedly Yuki waved his hand, ending the eye contact.
He sat askew, looking at the bloodstains on the mercenary's armor, at the tired yet determined eyes. That stubbornness was unreasonable, yet it was the reason he tolerated those petty actions.
Those who dare to go against the tide and disregard life and death are usually doing great things, things that transcend greed and the instinct for survival.
"Tell me, why are you going against the world? What's the benefit of doing so? If I'm satisfied, I can at least let you hitch a ride."
Peggy held his breath, his eyes fixed on the hilt of the knife; the intense pressure made it hard for him to breathe.
Any wishful thinking is suicidal. This Mr. Li knew everything, yet he was willing to give them a chance, something that had never been mentioned in the notes of his predecessors.
Cruel and bloodthirsty, selfish and profit-driven.
These are the labels that the chosen tower explorers have been given by the notes passed down through generations. The little tricks we had to do today would be extremely dangerous if discovered, which is why the key members were made to retreat quickly. This is the first time that they have been given a chance after being discovered.
"Because exploring the tower means certain death; no one who explores the tower ever returns alive."
"Including us?" Yuki sipped his tea with great interest.
"Uh, I don't know, after all, you come and go without a trace." Peggy didn't dare lie, glancing at the distant army formation, her face full of mockery. "According to mythology, the Witch God actually has two faces..."
"One is the creator god, the other is the destroyer. I already know that. To make a long story short..."
The mercenary opened his mouth, increasingly convinced that Yuki possessed mind-reading abilities. How could he possibly know? Such a taboo was little known even within the nobility.
"Okay, most people see Him as the creator god, the mother of all things, who protects the development of civilization with His flesh and blood. But we belong to another faction, who believe Him to be the destroyer, that the Witch God merely died in the world, using His flesh and blood to corrupt humanity in an attempt to be resurrected."
"So our mission is to prevent him from being resurrected and bringing catastrophe to the world!"
Yuki listened quietly, comparing his words with the information Hiyori had found in the library. These records were all forbidden books; only the Grand Duke's library contained a few words about them.
'That's believable, and it fits the style of Reincarnation Game. If I'm not mistaken, the second phase will give players a choice: resurrect the Witch God, or press the coffin lid down.'
Being experienced enough, Yuki can even guess the clues, which can be considered a form of growth.
How to stop it?
"Just don't activate any of the towers."
"You mean we kill the Tower Explorers, so no one will activate the tower?"
"Uh, that won't work. Each tower has Witch Spirit, and the tower will automatically activate when the time comes."
Yuki confirmed the warning, looking at the Yuki person with an expression of concern for someone with intellectual disabilities.
Without activating the tower, you need to kill the tower explorer, deal with the Witch Spirit, completely control the tower, and also deal with the attack from that Alliance.
Only one tower remains inactive. Even a fool would know the Alliance wouldn't stand idly by. The crucial point is that the Rebels can't even enter the tower; if we help them seize control and still can't activate it, what will happen to the main quest?
Clang--
The Phantom Longblade was pushed away by a thumb, and the chilling killing intent made Peggy jump up instantly, waving her hands repeatedly.
"I'm talking about an ideal scenario; nobody hopes for that, and nobody can achieve it."
"Then how do we handle the normal situation?" Yuki's tone was somewhat impatient.
"Activate all the towers and open the Witch God's Tower to face the Witch God directly. We have a way to deal with Him, but I don't know the specifics."
That's more like it.
Yuki sheathed his sword, thought for a moment, and realized that these Rebels didn't conflict with the player's main quest; they were an option specifically left out by the game. As for whether they could be of any use, he'd cooperate for now.
Because the Rebels have no other choice, cooperating is too easy. They can just take the heads of the noble tower explorers as a pledge of allegiance when they enter the tower later. Moreover, the bigger the commotion, the more opportunities they can provide for their seniors.
Additionally, the Hiyori analysis includes the option to 'cooperate' with the Witch Spirit; will killing Tower Explorers increase reputation?
After thinking for a moment, he activated the Reishi communication.
"Hiyori, have you entered the tower?"
"We're about to enter, Mr. Yuki. We're getting along well with the Grand Duke's subordinates, but that Alliance is completely ignoring us." Shiina Hiyori was also preparing, constantly searching for clues. "We have a group of players on our side; they've also chosen to cooperate with the nobles."
"Which faction?"
"Uh, War Orphans. The leader is a very beautiful blonde girl. I'll draw her when I have time and share her with you."
War Orphans, oh, it's them.
Yuki had contact with this faction at the Borderlands. Could the blonde girl be Tanya? She doesn't seem to be pretty at all.
"Go to the tower first. I'm giving you a mission. There's a chance we'll get in touch with the Alliance. When that happens, you'll do this..."
The man held his teacup, eyes closed in deep thought, actually outlining a complex plan. The mercenary didn't dare utter a sound, completely unaware of what he was thinking.
After a while, he saw those crimson eyes open, and he couldn't help but lean forward.
"Bring your men and come with me."
Yuki.
Chapter Six: Breaking Through the First Level (6K)
Twenty-four hours after entering the instance, Yuki had a clue.
He didn't know if the Rebels were trustworthy, or if the Witch God was the final boss, but he could exploit the contradictions within the instance to hedge his bets.
I'll take responsibility for helping the Rebels, while my seniors and the others will stand on the side of the Alliance. When the two sides clash, the truth will surely be revealed.
Aside from his cross-faction squad, no one else dared to play like that, because the prompt clearly stated that a faction could only choose one tower, making it impossible to split up their forces.
Another advantage of teaming up with Rebels is that they have their predecessors' notes, which provide them with some strategy and experience.
Just past noon, the area around the tower became lively as the explorers, having rested, began their real mission, heading towards the tower from two directions.
The nobles' army remained stationary, their hostility obvious; they knew the rules and were prepared to lie in wait outside.
The squad formed by the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons has yet to appear, and no one knows what they're planning.
Yuki didn't want to think too much, so he led his men closer to the towers. Looking up, they couldn't see the tops of the towers, as the seven towers were almost identical in shape.
"It's like a pillar supporting the sky; it can't be called a 'tower' at all."
The two teams approached the tower. One team consisted of only thirty or forty people, dressed in rags, while the other team numbered over three hundred. The three groups of tower explorers were firmly protected in the middle, and the guards were also dressed in fine clothes.
The difference between commoners and nobles breeds hostility and contempt.
Yuki glanced at the princes and princesses, looking on with disdain.
"Stay close to me. Based on previous experience, the Witch Beasts in the Tower of Asura are mainly characterized by their individual strength and are mostly melee fighters."
"Good."
Yuki liked Frieren's serious personality. He examined the dark red and smooth outer wall, then took a deep breath and placed his hand on it.
A soft touch came from his palm, along with a suction force. Yuki did not choose to resist, but was pulled in as if falling into a quagmire. He felt as if he had crossed a barrier, and his vision became dark as he was buried in the tower wall.
Somewhat like teleportation?
Players are all too familiar with that momentary sense of disorientation. As the red eyes slowly opened, the eyebrows slowly rose.
Is this what's inside the tower?