Chapter 323
The first floor is full of wizards who fight against Witch Beasts like demons, and there is a constant stream of tower explorers entering.
They've gone mad, everyone's gone mad! The Witch Beasts are endless, the slaughter never stops, and no one wants to go up to the higher levels to fight them.
Corpses littered the ground on both sides. Some sat in pools of blood, laughing heartily at the Soul Crystal they had dug out, while others fought amongst themselves, their faces contorted with rage as they stripped each other of their equipment.
The reason why the number of tower explorers is limited is because the area of each tower is limited, and if the entry points are mixed together, this is what happens.
This isn't a campaign against evil; it's a chaotic free-for-all, nearly bursting the Tower of Asura with its sheer number of monsters. The respawn rate of the Witch Beasts can't keep up.
"There's a problem, there's definitely a problem."
Yuki felt a chill run down his spine. Any normal person would know that a campaign of subjugation should be a well-organized and planned operation. How could they just send in a wizard and then leave him alone?
He went from the bottom to the top and saw Frieren and the others guarding the entrance, looking completely bewildered. Without explaining, he went straight to the throne.
[Tower of Asura, activated.]
Chapter 18 The Witch God's Tower (6K)
Buzz--
A beam of crimson light emerged from the Tower of Asura, and almost simultaneously, the various towers that were already activated resonated with it.
War Tower, Purgatory Tower, Empty Realm Tower...
Red, black, blue...
Seven beams of light shot into the sky from all over the continent, converging towards the center. Various powers unleashed enormous energy, tearing the firmament apart and creating a mottled space in the sky.
From commoners to wizards, everyone raised their heads and knelt in awe. The torn sky seemed like a giant eye, looking down upon all living beings on the Red Earth Continent.
The seven towers are like seven giant pillars, staggered to support the sky, while the light on their surfaces isolates the space, making it impossible to enter or leave.
The second phase begins with the opening of the Witch God's Tower.
This wasn't the first time, yet the miracle still inspired awe. Players still outside the tower faced annihilation, desperately cursing their kind who controlled the War Tower and the Tower of Asura.
We haven't even gotten on the bus yet!
No matter what thoughts or hardships they had, the game would erase them. In an instant, only two players remained on the Red Earth Continent.
"The trial is ongoing, and the objective has not been eliminated."
Ulquiorra gazed at the sky, his green eyes gleaming.
"He knew we were coming and deliberately spread false information. He went to the War Tower, then returned to the Tower of Asura, and then activated the tower." Deidara stopped laughing. This world was too boring; nobody liked wandering around aimlessly.
Yuki made no attempt to conceal himself, and Ulquiorra had already read the wizard's memories, allowing him to make preliminary guesses.
As indicated, players from the same faction cannot enter either tower, which makes things quite simple.
"There are three player teams in the Tower of Asura. The first team has six members, the second team is a two-person team, and the last team has only one person."
"Strange, no one saw this last person enter the tower."
"How could these ants possibly detect such a master?"
"But there were witnesses who saw him going in and out afterwards."
Ulquiorra paused for a moment, then could only look for the answer in the changes before and after exploring the tower. After all, the natives had surrounded the area like an iron barrel, making it ten times more difficult to sneak in silently.
However, there is absolutely no problem with six-person teams and two-person teams, because of the Chosen Tower Explorer aura, they are recorded and identified as two different factions when they enter the instance.
"Don't worry about the numbers. According to the hints, neither a six-person team nor a two-person team can spare a single person to enter other towers; that's a hard and fast rule of the game." The Arrancar back and forth, outlining the target's route for his companions.
This person entered the Tower of Asura at some point, and after conquering the tower, he used his solo advantage to head to the War Tower. On the way, he discovered the two of them, but his curiosity did not swell as he had expected.
He focused on conquering the dungeons, tricked the two natives, did something in the War Tower, returned to the Tower of Asura, and finally activated the tower to pass the first stage.
"Hiss, what kind of time management master is this?" Deidara scratched his head, finally understanding why the big shots were so wary.
This person not only traveled between the two towers in a short period of time, but also had time to investigate the Red Earth Continent, using a 'broker' to deceive the two of them.
Players are focused on conquering the tower; they're lucky if they can even use the wizard. Who has the time or inclination to delve into the lives of ordinary people, who are like ants?
So, is this 'Taiyi'?
Ulquiorra took a deep breath; he couldn't handle such multitasking.
"So, should we look for the Tower of Asura or the War Tower?" Deidara asked, as players of both towers had a direct connection to them.
"I don't know what he was doing at the War Tower, but he ended up returning to the Tower of Asura, which is clearly his base of operations."
"Shall we just storm their door?"
"No, the enemy's situation is unknown. Let's test the waters first." Ulquiorra decided to play it safe and Prophet. "If we can take them down easily, we'll eliminate all players with whom we have direct contact. If they're stronger than we thought, we'll settle for eliminating only the target."
"Ah, you're going to let the players from the War Tower go?" Deidara was somewhat disappointed. The Judgment quest also had a progress bar, and it would be best to complete it 100%.
"We'll make our choice based on the situation. What if he's really strong, and also an enemy of the War Tower?" Ulquiorra took a deep breath, looking at the multicolored pillar of light in the sky. "I can let the War Tower go, but I can't let the Tower of Asura go. Based on the current intelligence, we'll be facing three player teams of unknown strength."
"Then we'll need to find some help. Most factions are quite cooperative with our work. Hmm, let's first rule out that stubborn and unpleasant 'Valhalla'."
"No, let's go find that tiger demon first." Ulquiorra turned to leave, one hand on her sword. "I'm more worried about something else—"
He glanced at the Witch God's Tower, which resembled the eyes of the heavens, and his voice was barely audible.
"This instance marks the boundary of the cycle of Reincarnation Game."
My head feels heavy, my thoughts are frozen.
Yuki knew that all the towers were already activated, just waiting for him to activate the Tower of Asura. In other words, players only had two or three days to change their targets.
Quite a few factions will definitely suffer, and it would be best if the two people who contacted me also died, because they would never be able to meet the requirements for hint three.
Clutching his head as he stood up, Yuki found himself inside a bizarre building, resembling a palace, yet excessively vast.
The dome is at least 100 meters above the ground, and the chandeliers, like small suns, illuminate the murals and sculptures on both sides of the walls.
"It's like we've arrived in the land of Giant." Frieren had already woken up and was curiously looking around. He saw the people of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, as well as Rita and the mercenaries.
Everyone present was from the highest levels of society; where were the thousands upon thousands of wizards?
Yuki didn't quite understand. He twitched his nose and smelled a suffocating, lingering scent, as if he had arrived at an ancient temple. To use a beautiful metaphor, it was the scent of time.
The players remained silent, waiting for a prompt, their eyes fixed on Yuki, signaling for an explanation.
"I was forced to activate the tower. The original plan was to delay it by two days, ideally to lure some players in and kill them." Yuki sighed, following his instincts, he was racing against time.
"Those natives are indeed very strange; we can only avoid them for now." Kento Nanami stepped forward and explained, "According to the records of the Soulless Ones, the spots for Tower Explorers are very precious; this has never happened before."
Of course it's valuable; it's a tactic used by various kingdoms to win people's hearts. If the Alliance does this, who will follow the rules in the future?
Each kingdom only has two slots, and the selection process takes seven years. It's unimaginable how many deals, struggles, and assassinations occur during that time, and then the Alliance just opens its coffers and gives them away in a big way.
"They're willing to overdraw their own credit and even reconstruct the continental system just to attack us. Ha, what a grand scheme!" Yan Zhu's laughter was as hearty as ever. He slightly turned his head to dodge his companion's chop.
"Idiot, you call that a crusade? It's clearly just stuffing wizards into the tower like piglets. Tell me, how is this any different from before?"
"Uh, a player captured the tower this time?"
Kyojuro may be cheerful, but he's not stupid. Everyone nodded in agreement with his words, especially Yuki, who sensed the presence of a pre-planned strategy.
That's probably why I killed the kingdom's high-ranking officials; at most, I provided them with convenience.
"Miss Rita, don't you have anything to say?" Frieren asked coldly from the side, clearly having obtained some clues during Yuki's absence.
The blonde girl's face flushed red as she kept glancing at Yuki's expression. Finally, she gritted her teeth and said, "According to the records, the Witch Spirit is an incarnation of the Witch God, wielding His seven powers. He is the key to the Witch God's resurrection, which is why the Alliance is in such a hurry."
"So you knew all along."
"Uh, I'm afraid that if you knew, you wouldn't dare to ascend the throne." Rita pursed her lips and knelt down at lightning speed. "I'm sorry, but this time I truly see hope. The sacrifices of countless compatriots have finally been worthwhile. I wouldn't dare take any risks at all!"
Do people in other worlds also do prostrations?
Yuki glanced at her, and putting himself in her shoes, he could understand. After all, players had a terrible reputation, so there was no way to expect a sense of mission from them.
If you know the risks of taking control of the tower, there's a chance you'll back off on the spot. After all, reaching the top floor fulfills the condition, and the unclaimed tower should automatically activate.
Lacking a core conflict with the Witch God, Yuki not only fail to help, but could even betray these Soulless Ones and Alliance with the Witch God.
"It's understandable, but I don't like being kidnapped." Yuki frowned as he watched Peggy, trembling, being escorted by mercenaries, only to be forcefully pushed away by the girl.
"Punish me however you like, turn me into a dried-up soul if you want." Rita had lost her usual liveliness and cunning, leaving only determination.
The Witch God needs Witch Spirit to be resurrected, but now two of his powers have been taken away by the players. Yuki can't very well dig up the 'Asura Mark' and give it away, can he?
"Whatever?" Yuki looked the girl up and down. Her black hair was messy, and her cute round face was full of stubbornness. When stared at by his aggressive gaze, she looked away shyly.
The brown wizard's robe clung to his body, revealing his youthful, curvaceous physique. Yuki quickly averted his gaze, feeling a sense of unease.
Another round-faced girl was also looking at her, with the look of someone looking at 'trash'.
"Mr. Li, why don't we just forget about it? Anyway, you're going to take control of the tower anyway, and there's no way you can get around it." Yan Zhu jumped in to play the good guy. He was an upright man and felt great sympathy for these Soulless Ones.
They were persecuted as heretics, even worse off than the Demon Slayer Corps.
Yuki actually kept it to himself, but he was just using the opportunity to give these Soulless Ones a warning. He had his own sense of right and wrong, preferred to take the initiative, or rather, in his memory, dealing with the Boss had never been harmonious.
Mastering the Imprint and the Soulless Ones comes at a price; this is inherent to the strategy.
The plan took into account the personalities of Kyojuro and others, and Yuki was happy to do them a favor.
"You're very lucky. Tell me, why does the Alliance keep sending meat to the tower?"
Rita let out a long sigh of relief. Her clothes were soaked with sweat, making her very uncomfortable. She tugged at her collar and blurted out all the information like beans spilling out.
It turns out that if a certain number of wizards die, they can bypass the Yuki and activate the tower. The massacre in the Yuki made this plan easier to implement, and the Meso Kingdom could no longer negotiate.
"Why did the Alliance react so quickly, as if it had been prepared all along?" Yuki asked again.
"Wizards are sacrifices, and the reason the tower can only be activated once every seventy years is to prepare enough sacrifices." Rita's face was full of sarcasm, and her radiant appearance had returned.
"No stories allowed, just the conclusion!"
"Alright, the Witch God is corrupting the world and eroding human souls. The Tower Explorers are merely high-level sacrifices. If no one breaks into the tower, the Witch Spirit will never awaken..."
Accompanied by the clear voice, Yuki listened carefully, matching the legend with the clues he had found one by one.
The wizards' waning lifespan, the reason why Soul Crystal are called the Witch God's Blood —civilization is a curse. The more wizards there are on the Red Earth Continent, the more widespread the use of Soul Crystal, the stronger the curse becomes.
Infection, recycling—no wonder so many Witch Beasts were released; it was deliberately meant for the wizards to hunt them.
Yuki recalled those crazed faces and felt that the world was beyond saving. Power could not eliminate greed. Soul Crystal, as the core of civilization, had become the common pursuit of everyone. Anyone who dared to stand in their way would be crushed by the wheels of history.
Players, as outsiders standing at a crossroads, can either fuel the flames or defy fate.
"No wonder you dared to go all in; eliminating the source is the only way." Yuki's gaze softened; the courage within her petite frame was admirable. She then looked at the other players:
"So be it. At least we have the upper hand, with two towers and four factions. Nobody has a choice."
He recounted the story of the Thorny Rose and the War Orphans, which made Kento Nanami's expression soften considerably, and he adjusted his glasses.
"Mr. Li, you've wanted to be enemies with the Witch God for a long time, haven't you?"
"More or less, but enthusiasm alone can't solve anything; all successful tactics are built on preparation."
Two towers, four factions, plus these Soulless Ones with special attacks...
The man calculated the success rate. Even the most righteous members of the Demon Extermination Squad were still players; they wouldn't risk their lives. He slowly lowered his head.
"I hate sweatshops. Yomi, I think one of the team rules is that we can't cooperate with the Destroyers."
"And one more thing, when conditions permit, we should stand on the side of Justice." The black-haired girl, with a pocky in her mouth, smiled and wagged her finger, "After all, we're just a bunch of idiots, like little Rita."
"Hahaha, you should say you've spent your whole life fighting against evil, Rita. Just say it next time, and we'll never stand idly by."
From the Demon Slayer Corps to the Supernatural Investigation Office, and then to the Jujutsu Masters, aren't they all fighting against powerful evil forces? In their eyes, those Soulless Ones are of course Justice, and their path is even more difficult than theirs.
Being misunderstood by the world and persecuted by all classes, yet still stubbornly insisting on saving the world, is a rare sight even within the Demon Extermination Squad.
"Thank you. I overcomplicated things." The girl wiped away her tears and immediately became friendly with the members of the Demon Extermination Squad. Experience can't be faked; they were indeed the same kind of people.
Frieren raised an eyebrow. It was surprising to find such morally upright players in the Reincarnation Game. You could say they were naive, but they were certainly reassuring.
"You didn't expect that, did you? But where there are people, the lines are so clear. Players are just a status symbol; their sense of good and evil is already set." Yuki knew these people's personalities all along, so his tone was very relaxed.
"The Witch God is the final boss, and his strength is very likely to reach epic level," Frieren reminded.
"High risk, high reward. We couldn't possibly follow the Alliance's path anyway. Based on experience, forcibly reviving someone without sufficient resources will definitely have flaws." Yuki, brimming with confidence, stepped forward and asked Rita:
"Are you one of the leaders of the Soulless Ones?"
"Hmm, didn't expect that, did you?" The girl was a little smug. No one would have thought that the wanted criminal described by the Alliance as a 'demon' and 'blasphemer' was a little girl.