Chapter 317
The whispered assurances brought a sigh of relief to everyone. Such broad terms were actually not very binding; mutual trust was the most important factor.
"The task is simple: if one player captures the tower, it will inevitably provoke a counterattack. The tower's defenses do not distinguish between friend and foe, so I can only disable them. You only need to do two things."
Yuki held up two fingers and said slowly, "First, bring in Soulless Ones outside the tower. This is my covenant with them, and you should know the role of the Soulless Ones. Second, guard the first floor, and kill any other explorers who come one by one."
It's indeed simple; this is laying the groundwork for the next stage. Completely mastering a tower will definitely be beneficial.
Kento Nanami immediately analyzed the results: the Soulless Ones were the key to the dungeon and could be used as a trump card to deal with the Witch God. They would definitely diversify their investment and take in as much as they could.
But now that there's an alliance, it's like a crack has been punched in the wall. He'll go all in anyway, so this isn't just a free ride; it's a portal to the next stage.
The various forces on the Red Earth Continent certainly won't stand idly by, especially the Alliance. As a supporter of the Witch God, they will do everything in their power to reclaim the tower and plug the loopholes.
Nobles, players—anyone qualified to enter the tower will come.
"Wait, will this provoke direct intervention from the Witch God?"
"If He could interfere, He would have done it already. At least I can't seize the authority of the Witch Spirit," Yuki replied calmly. Game rules are above all else; dungeon settings are fundamental.
"That's right. With you here, no tower explorer can reclaim the tower." The Kento Nanami had this much confidence. They feared tidal waves of attacks and were good at small-team combat.
The number of explorers entering the tower, including helpers, cannot exceed 100. Two days have passed, and many must have perished. Players who are truly capable of fulfilling the prompts will not interfere.
"I won't be there, but my comrades will assist you. This mission isn't easy." Yuki shattered the illusion instantly, seeing the disappointed expression on Kyojuro Rengoku. "Don't worry, there will be many more opportunities to fight side by side in the future."
The Demon Slayer Corps members turned around and saw more than a dozen people coming down from the third floor, but there was only one player inside.
"Are you leaving the tower?" Kento Nanami blurted out.
"Well, I also have two tasks to complete, so I'll leave these to you all. Rita, you come with me, the rest of you assist Miss Yomi and the others."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
Peggy and the others didn't care; they felt that all the Chosen Tower Explorers were one group. Frieren, however, had a flicker in his eyes, wondering why these players from the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons were so easy to talk to and so obediently became his underlings.
Yuki offered no explanation, simply nodding slightly. Ignoring the girl's screams, he tucked her under his arm and, stepping through the sea of blood, vanished in a few flashes.
The first task certainly couldn't be kept secret from the Kento Nanami. Since they controlled the tower, they also controlled the initiative to activate the tower and start the second phase, which is commonly known as "blocking the progress".
Yuki is the only player who has the freedom to move around freely. He can easily enter the top floor and activate the tower without worrying about the conditions being reset.
Using this condition, he can obtain intelligence and even contact other players.
But the second task was something no one could have guessed. According to Hint Four, a faction can only choose one tower. Logically speaking, Yuki was already bound after becoming the master of the Tower of Asura.
Just as one can sign a pact with any faction and team up with any player, can the 'neutral' faction enter all the towers?
At the very least, I need to help my seniors conquer the second tower, making sure the preparations are as thorough as possible, and then see which player can play with me in the next stage.
With 'nothingness' as its core, a new plan is being conceived. Having learned from the experience of the 'Global Insect Calamity,' Yuki increasingly composed.
Leaving the tower, the bright sunshine reappeared, Yuki squinted as he looked at the military camp not far away.
Banners fluttered, and an army of about a thousand men was gathering outside the tower. Scanning the patterns on the banners, he realized that it was not just wizards from the Meso Kingdom.
"As expected, the Alliance can contact the outside world and spread the news throughout the continent. Their response is quite fast."
Yuki put on the second Fool's Mask, transforming into a blond, blue-eyed boy with a hint of approval on his face.
Getting other kingdoms to abandon their objectives and send their own explorers meant countless transactions, and the Meso Kingdom, as the host, had no choice but to open the road.
Before the tower explorers arrived, the army had already set up camp. The sentries saw someone coming out of the tower and blowing a bugle, while the bewildered wizards ran out of their tents.
The Soulless Ones were originally outside the tower must have hidden themselves, and Yuki was too lazy to look for them. He looked towards the center of the military camp, where many people wearing magnificent armor were peeking out, and all the wizards were lined up around them.
Unfortunately, the area of effect was only twenty meters, not enough to pull the entire military camp into the Furnace.
Clang--
With a metallic scraping sound, Yuki drew his twin swords, the blades reflecting a dazzling light.
Fortunately, they don't deserve it.
Chapter Thirteen: The Trail (6K)
The Principality of Fulleda, the War Tower.
This gray tower, built atop the mountain, also soars into the clouds. Apart from its color, it is no different from the Tower of Asura, and there is even a small town at the foot of the mountain.
As the tower exploration begins, the abnormal prosperity gradually fades, and terrifying legends are spreading in the bars.
"Have you heard? Something's happened to the Tower of Asura. Someone has taken control of the tower, and the Alliance has issued a punitive order to the entire continent."
"Nonsense! The Witch Spirit is an incarnation of a god. Putting aside whether we can defeat it, aside from traitors and the chosen tower explorers, who dares to fight a god?"
"It's true, my uncle's neighbor is the guard wizard, and he's already gone with the Grand Duke to provide support."
"It's just that noblemen are hunting in different places; it's not like it's never happened before."
"The merchant said that something really happened in the Meso Kingdom. All the wizards in the country, including the king, have been killed, and the whole country is in chaos."
Who killed him?
"I don't know. They say he was killed by one person who was helping those traitors in."
"Your joke is a bit outrageous. I advise you not to talk about state affairs, or you might get thrown into the dungeon by some nobleman."
Thump.
Yuki put down his glass, quieting the entire bar down; after all, there was still a chosen tower explorer here.
This person has blond hair and blue eyes, and behaves strangely. The exploration of the tower has been going on for six days, but he is still wandering around outside. However, it's not that strange, as changing targets is a allowed behavior in the game.
The rumors are true; he single-handedly scattered a thousand wizards. The humans here are not on the same level as the Witch Spirit; as long as they are not in proper formation, he can easily Armybreaker.
But the rumors are also incorrect. He did not retreat back to guard his lair after meeting the Soulless Ones outside the tower. Instead, he took advantage of the chaos to break through and lie in ambush.
The Soulless Ones were all handed over to Rita, and then they sent messages to each other, telling the remaining companions to hurry and gather. Of course, the Tower of Asura was now completely surrounded, with a large number of ordinary soldiers in addition to the wizards, and Yuki couldn't possibly break in with a bunch of burdens.
The Soulless Ones is traveling at a slow pace, waiting for a coordinate.
"A feint attack in one direction while simultaneously striking in another; once all the defensive forces rush to the Tower of Asura, the War Tower will become a weak point."
To sever ties between the two towers, Yuki specifically instructed that no information about the Tower of Asura should be leaked. Even if Soulless Ones were captured by the Alliance or players, no one would know who provided the coordinates.
An organization that can survive being suppressed across the entire continent must have a certain level of secrecy that can be trusted.
Licking the remaining wine stains from his lips, Yuki scattered a few gold coins on the table, turned and left. He had the 'Wizard's Tower' game completely under his control. He didn't even go straight to the Duchy of Fulleda; he also took a trip to the neighboring city-state.
Delving into the dungeons and experiencing the other world, he realized that Soul Crystal were the real currency. The Soul Crystal circulating in the market were generally those of level four Witch Beasts, which were about the size of a thumb, roughly the same as gold coins.
This thing is the foundation of civilization on the Red Earth Continent. Without it, even lighting would be a problem. However, it's strange that these things, called the Witch God's Blood, sound so sacred, yet there isn't a single church on the continent.
That Alliance is not responsible for spreading the faith, nor does it interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. It only cares about matters related to the 'Tower'. Because of itself, it has recently gained a lot of attention.
He saw the streets plastered with proclamations of war, and hundreds of mercenaries rubbing their hands together, heading east in droves. He smiled indifferently.
The humans on the Red Earth Continent are not very strong, their numbers are huge, and they can't get into the tower, so the players' side is more interesting.
Besides the 'Night Parade of One Hundred Demons' and the War Orphans ', six other factions are known to have left traces. Two of these groups did not disguise themselves and left behind portraits.
Yuki flipped through the intelligence he had bought from the broker. Soul Crystal, being a form of hard currency, were piled up almost like a small mountain in his storage space. At least on the Red Earth Continent, Yuki was rolling in money.
He looked at the oil painting in the intelligence report. This portrait posed no threat to the players unless they had some kind of enemy. Obtaining their appearance was meaningless, and he couldn't be bothered to hide it.
But this is different for Yuki. His biggest advantage is that he has many acquaintances, and a lot of information can be obtained from their appearances.
With blond hair and delicate features, Yuki wasn't sure if he was the famous Saber King, since that bastard Takeuchi only knew how to draw one face.
Black, white, big, small, who knows which one it is.
This should be the legendary 'Valhalla'. The broker also discovered another one, but he didn't know what it looked like. Judging from its height, it should be a little girl.
A little girl? There are too many similar targets. If I'm not mistaken, the Type-Moon World should be in one camp, including various derivative works.
Since he could run into her at the Witch God's Tower anyway, Yuki simply skipped over it, flipped through a few more pages, and frowned slightly.
These were two men, both quite well-known; one had tear stains and pale skin, the other had a full head of blond hair and a strange smile.
"Ulquiorra, Deidara, is this the labor force camp?"
I still can't help but complain, they've crammed all the shonen manga together, haven't they? But complaining aside, Yuki paying closer attention.
There were only two players in the team. It was unclear whether the other members were hiding or had been eliminated, but these two seemed to completely ignore the warnings and were running around aimlessly.
From the far north to the center of the continent, several tall towers came and went, showing no intention of properly exploring the area.
Having learned from experience, Yuki no longer judges people by their appearance, but his strange methods are thought-provoking.
"These two are both above-average intelligence, what on earth are they up to?"
Yuki it inexplicable; it was like wandering around in a dungeon. Other factions that entered the tower almost never came out, and most of them would act alone like the 'Night Parade of One Hundred Demons,' leaving no trace.
It's now basically confirmed that there are more than seven factions involved in the dungeon. The remaining players are either disguised or hiding, so Yuki has no choice but to give up.
With hundreds of Soul Crystal, you can obtain accurate intelligence on both factions. What more could you ask for?
Following the steps, Yuki headed towards the War Tower. The road was littered with the corpses of Witch Beasts, and the mercenaries were happily collecting Soul Crystal.
These things should have belonged to the Grand Duke, but he had already led his troops to support a neighboring country, so they got them for nothing. Along the way, there were also many people selling strategy guides, and they all tried to sell them to Yuki.
He was all alone, much like the kind of player who changes their target after getting burned. Such people are pressed for time and are the best targets for being fooled.
Yuki everything without question, scattering another pile of Soul Crystal to further enrich the intelligence database. Because of the principle of "allowing out but not allowing in," information that was leaked along the way could still be brought out, making it somewhat credible.
If we remove the fabricated stories, these guides are mostly focused on the early stages, and not just the War Tower.
The brokers in the Red Earth Continent are incredibly resourceful, forming specialized guilds and even offering consulting services. They recommend suitable towers based on player characteristics and even arrange food and lodging along the way.
Through repeated explorations of the tower, the people of Red Soil have formed a complete industrial chain, making them truly professional guides.
"The Lightless Tower is indeed without light. It is estimated to be above the seventh floor, a complex maze filled with various traps and mechanisms."
"The Purgatory Tower is like a volcano; you have to climb down, and the higher you go, the Incandescence it gets, until you're finally submerged in lava."
"The Empty Realm Tower where everything is empty, but any distracting thoughts in your mind will become reality. I'm glad I didn't go; if I had thought of anything like Super Saiyan, I would have been doomed."
"The Forest Elf Tower is located in a sea of trees, so vibrant with life that humans have mutated into mushrooms?"
"The Desire Tower can incite all of humanity's negative emotions; some who explore the tower kill each other, while others throw parties in public?"
Yuki scanned the towers one by one, and indeed, each tower was remarkable and unique. No wonder no one suspected him as he wandered around outside.
Some players encountered numerous setbacks, while others deliberately delayed their entry into the tower. After all, a faction cannot split up and explore all the towers simultaneously. These strategies are very helpful. For example, mechanical lifeforms can choose the Forest Elf Tower, which gives them a significant advantage.
"The War Tower, its interior is like a chessboard, presumably with only one level. One must play against Witch Spirit to advance to the next level, which consists of battlefields in different environments."
Yuki hadn't planned to visit every tower, so he carefully examined the information in his hand. This Taiyi from the Tower of Asura, where there was no end in sight.
In some battlefields, the objective is to protect a specific item; if it is lost, the entire team dies.
Some are endless mazes, and just as you're about to leave, suddenly, lurking Witch Beasts appear from both sides.
Some attacks are launched within a specified time; if they fail to break through the encirclement within the time limit, they will be swallowed by the tower.
"The senior students are going to suffer, but luckily their skills complement each other, so they've managed to hold on until now."
Yuki closed his thick notebook. To be honest, he had been out of contact for five or six days, but he wasn't worried.
They've weathered countless swarms of insects, so what's this? Besides, aren't they cooperating with War Orphans? The latter are experts.
Yuki remained calm. Even without him, his senior could still advance to the next stage. He was more concerned about the two wandering around, so he simply called over the broker who was waiting by the tower.
According to the rules, the closer a broker is to the tower, the higher their rank and the more information they have.
"Have you seen these two before?" Yuki tossed over a bag of Soul Crystal without even haggling.
"I've seen him. He just left not long ago. He even bought some information from me."
"What intelligence?"
"I'm sorry, but we brokers also have our own professional ethics and absolutely cannot disclose our clients' information."
Yuki rolled his eyes and threw a large bag of Soul Crystal at him; they were all stolen from the Kingdom's army camp anyway.
"This..." The broker hesitated, then a larger bag appeared in his hand. He immediately became more agreeable, giving Yuki a meaningful look. "They're looking for a lone Chosen Tower Explorer. Let us spread this word."
A lone, chosen tower explorer?
Yuki was stunned, a chill instantly running down his spine. "That's me! No wonder this guy's eyes are so strange."