Chapter 330
Hiyori's observations were meticulous, and her narration was vivid. Yuki seemed to see the one-eyed president in a difficult position, which made him even more curious.
"What faction could be more persuasive than the benefits I offer?"
"Hmm... judging from the lip movements, it's the Judge."
Judge!?
A thunderclap rang in Yuki's ears, making his breathing quicken and his pupils instinctively contract. Yomi and the others who were watching him quickly went on alert, thinking that a powerful enemy was about to launch a surprise attack.
Them?
Yuki couldn't care less about all that; she suddenly had a feeling of 'I see'.
The name "Judge" was information he obtained from the "Mechanical Believers," and the corresponding figure is "Hundred Eyes of True Knowledge."
They are powerful and mysterious, and they receive special missions called 'Judgment Missions'. According to Johnny Silverhand, they are henchmen of the Reincarnation Game, because the game is more like a ruthless program, and direct intervention requires minions.
"Mr. Yuki, they're here for you." Hiyori's tone became tense. Fortunately, Yuki was cautious enough to activate his special ability when he had his senior deliver the Fool's Mask. Otherwise, if their relationship were exposed, they would have no chance of survival.
"Don't be afraid. You are all collaborators, just like War Orphans. You have no personal relationship with me." Yuki quickly calmed down. Regardless of who the pursuers were or why they were pursuing him, his response so far has been almost perfect.
The two towers are outwardly at odds, but the cooperating Tiger Vanguard is dead, and he brought false information, forcing them to target the senior students. How is this any different from me killing myself?
Moreover, I find it disgusting...
Yuki astutely grasped the key words and realized that there must be something wrong with the Judge's style of operation or mission.
If I were the only target, what would I do?
He began to use his best skill: putting himself in others' shoes. The name 'Judge' was impressive, managing to use a cunning monster like Tiger Vanguard as cannon fodder. They were undoubtedly powerful, but they had even more ingenious methods.
Why engage in direct combat? Why not just reveal the identities of the Demon Extermination Squad directly, separating "me" from "the Tower of Asura"? Killing one person is always better than dealing with a group of players.
"Hiyori, quickly look at the others, can you spot any signs of 'tension'?"
Within the tower scattered with countless weapons, a seemingly insignificant girl, who had been engrossed in reading, looked up. With her special ability activated, she could instantly read every detail.
The whispering priest and Miss Violet, Father Andrew with his arms crossed, suppressing his anger, Hayasaka Ai with a tingling scalp but trying to appear calm, and the two high and mighty Judge.
Sensing the gaze, Deidara immediately looked over. The girl timidly lowered her head and quietly shared her reading results with Yuki.
"Miss Violet and Mr. Bradley hid it well, but I could read nervousness on her face."
As expected, no wonder the Judge's condition was to eliminate all players in the Tower of Asura.
Yuki smiled. He began to recall the personalities of Deidara and Ulquiorra. Both of them were intelligent but averse to trouble, and would never recklessly expand their attack range to make things more difficult for themselves.
"I'm 70% sure their mission is to eliminate all players who cooperate with 'me,' which is why the War Orphans are so nervous."
"Don't be afraid, we're all in the same boat. The War Orphans's attitude won't change. He signed a contract with me, but he can't help the Judge at all. To tell the truth, he'll only bring about his death."
No one is a fool. He could indirectly deduce the outcome. Bradley, who was facing the Judge directly, couldn't possibly be completely unaware. It's just that this president was truly shrewd and pretended not to see anything.
"So, they can't switch sides and have to secretly help?" Hiyori 'Hiyori eyes Thorny Rose was too weak and could only worry helplessly.
"That should be it, otherwise Bradley would have confessed what happened at the War Tower long ago. If I'm not mistaken, his answer would be that 'I' was here, but I tricked them and almost seized power, which is why the two towers started fighting as soon as they met."
Hiyori nodded, her face full of admiration. This person's ability to solve riddles from afar was too strong; it was as if they possessed innate Future Deduction.
"But the Judge believed it without questioning it, and didn't even use a lie detector."
"Because they can't question that the players of the Tower of Asura are more powerful than they imagined, so powerful that the two Judge can't take them down in one go." Yuki breathed a sigh of relief, thankfully he had put on a show earlier.
From the perspectives of the Judge and War Orphans, there were three player teams in the Tower of Asura. Tiger Vanguard risked his life to probe, but before he could even lure out the target, a powerful figure named 'Aether Particles' took him down.
Tiger Vanguard is like a standard for evaluating combat power. The Demon Extermination Squad combined is no less than Monster IV, and the Aether Particles is no less than Monster IV. Add the target, and that's three Monster IV level powerhouses.
Because of the game's hints, they see me as two people, and I must be two people.
This is the key point. So not only did they not question it, they also had to use the players of the War Tower to bridge the gap. Otherwise, if the two towers joined forces, who would be judging whom?
"Agree to everything they say, but make sure you get something in return so as not to arouse suspicion." Yuki's eyes lit up, and a plan came to mind. He told Hiyori about the plan by Shared Reading.
The two sides were originally one, War Orphans dared not disembark. All the foreshadowing had already been written, so what could the Judge do?
"Share the plan with your senior classmates, stay in hiding, your presence is our biggest trump card."
"Yes, I will try my best to help you get rid of them." Hiyori clenched her little fists, finding the story both exciting and absurd. Mr. Yuki was like a Prophet, having planted the seeds of the future in advance.
If Yuki hadn't come to take control of the War Tower and signed a contract with the War Orphans, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
"It definitely needs to be resolved, but I don't like to get carried away with my emotions and prefer to fight fairly and squarely." Yuki rested his chin on his hand, a hint of a smile in his red eyes:
"I want to deceive them, understand their capabilities, and even use them to conquer the dungeon, like a clockwork, step by step, calculating until death."
Yuki returned to reality and saw concerned faces. He had lost his composure when he heard the name 'Judge'.
"What's on your mind again?" Yomi asked directly. They were sworn brothers, so there was no need for him to mince words.
"Someone is targeting us, most likely a player." Yuki didn't hide anything, nor did he tell anyone, because it would only cause alarm.
Oh, is that all?
Everyone was disappointed. They all knew about the clay airplane; it was most likely an ally of Tiger Vanguard, a player from a certain tower.
"Be careful. If they still don't give up even after Tiger Vanguard is dead, they must be very strong." Yuki pointed to the clay airplane above his head, but as soon as he finished speaking, a pillar of fire flashed, and the eye was burned into nothingness.
"Hahaha, we've decided to follow you to the bitter end. We don't care what kind of demons and monsters they are, we'll deal with them one by one." Yan Zhu laughed loudly, not taking them to heart at all.
Kento Nanami felt this matter was not simple, but this Mr. Li was exceptionally powerful. The Tower of Asura was in the open, the War Tower was in the shadows, and with players from four different factions joining forces, who could possibly stand against this dungeon?
Even if they were told about the existence of the Judge, the result would still be a desperate fight to the death; as for a sneak attack or anything like that...
The battlefield was completely transparent; I was the only one who could ambush them.
The War Orphans are probably the most anxious right now. Bradley is probably risking his life to get this information to me so we can unite and come up with a solution.
Looking at the black tower in the distance, Yuki felt a sense of wonder, as if it had transcended the dungeon, and slowly placed his piece outside the chessboard.
"Let's go. Now that we have enough marks, let's enter the mausoleum. We can't waste the advantage of Hint Four."
Yuki unexpectedly said that since they knew the Judge's target was them, they absolutely could not let the players of the Tower of Asura meet them.
If even one Demon Extermination Squad is captured, the Judge will definitely have a way to pry them open and immediately find out that there isn't a single lone player in the Tower of Asura.
"Huh? But we know nothing about stopping the ritual. Aren't we going to look for clues on the outside?" Yomi Isayama couldn't understand. After entering the Witch God's Tower, they did nothing but kill a tiger.
There are still five days left until the deadline. This is clearly a deliberate arrangement by the game. Rita, a leader of the Soulless Ones, can't just rely on Pocky.
[Tip 5: Please enter the mausoleum within seven days, or you will be eliminated. You can only return after completing Tip 1 or staying in the mausoleum for more than seven days.]
Yuki repeated the instruction, and everyone present, being seasoned players, naturally understood what it meant.
Seven days will be a crucial point. Given the current situation, collecting all the marks is not difficult at all. Those who enter early will leave early as well. If you enter on the first day, you'll be out of there by the time the deadline arrives.
Just like the old saying goes: as long as I run faster than my teammates, I'm safe.
"The mausoleum is also a clue; it's never a bad idea to check it out beforehand." Yuki smiled, took a step forward, and quietly clenched his fist.
Players, instances, Judge —everything is under control.
Chapter Twenty-Four: What does your search for Taiyi have to do with my Yuki Sorajima?
"Interesting, that woman was spying on us just now."
At Deidara's level, his intuition is already quite sharp, and any detection-type items or skills will be countered, except for special abilities.
"Is she testing you? Or trying to extract memories from you?" Ulquiorra looked over as well, though he had observed more closely and found no unusual energy fluctuations.
"No, it was just a glance. After all, it's normal for a handsome artist like me to attract girls." Deidara chuckled, his hands behind his head, his gaze sweeping over each player who was quietly discussing something.
"They really are War Orphans. If I remember correctly, they have a grudge against us. But their strength is top-tier in this dungeon; they're enough to take on one of us."
Tiger Vanguard's probing is impacting the Destiny of War Tower players.
If the goal is nothing more than this, then nothing Bradley says matters. He doesn't care whether the two towers are secretly cooperating or truly fighting; to be on the safe side, they both have to die.
But the result was exactly the opposite; the 'Aether Particles' was stronger than expected, and the Tower of Asura also rose accordingly, forming a simple mathematical problem:
It is known that both the Demon Extermination Squad and the Aether Particles can knock out several of his teeth, and the target is the legendary 'Taiyi', who will only become more powerful. Therefore, the confrontation between the two towers is worthwhile.
"War Orphans are useful after all, but isn't this Thorny Rose a bit too coincidental?" Ulquiorra looked at Hiyori, then at Kaguya, his eyes filled with disappointment.
Beauty and ugliness were not considered; they were all of mediocre strength, but he knew how the news of 'Taiyi' had spread.
This faction doesn't have much intelligence, presumably because they recently emerged from the closed world, and those who know the truth belong to this faction.
That Shinomiya Oko is very cunning; he wants to use the information he has to gain more benefits. The higher-ups have already decided to give him whatever they want, so they must figure out what this weak faction is doing in the shortest amount of time. They are also looking for other Thorny Rose players.
What a coincidence! The Hundred Eyes of True Knowledge was tracking 'Taiyi' when the game issued a Judgment mission, and then Thorny Rose just happened to be there.
"No, you don't actually think 'Taiyi' has anything to do with these girls, do you?" Deidara covered his mouth, almost bursting out laughing.
"Of course not, at least not the 'Taiyi' associated with the Thorny Rose." Ulquiorra glanced at his companion and said coldly, "If that's the case, it creates a paradox; members of the same faction cannot appear in two towers."
The game's design transcends all logic and conjecture; this is the player's principle. Ulquiorra, in fact, made many assumptions.
For example, one of the organizations of 'Taiyi', or one person, was transformed into fragments of their soul, splitting into many factions, some strong and some weak.
These ideas have all been reported, and the Grand Judges will determine which one is more reasonable.
Hayasaka Ai and Bradley walked over together. Ulquiorra stopped daydreaming and glanced at them sideways.
Have you thought it through?
"Yes, we agree to cooperate, but with some conditions." Bradley, as the elder, remained neither humble nor arrogant. "This dungeon is quite difficult, and we hope that you two gentlemen can help us conquer it."
This is such a hassle.
Ulquiorra was getting impatient. The Judge quest and the faction quest didn't overlap; he only needed to eliminate the target to return, or the target would escape and he would be eliminated.
He couldn't wait to start a war, or at least capture a prisoner to find out if his guess was right.
"I said, Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, all the spoils of war from the Aether Particles players belong to you."
"But we need to be alive to get it back. What if you just pack up and leave, leaving us to face the Witch God alone?" Bradley chuckled, his argument seemingly reasonable.
"Alright, we can help with some small things, but you can't hold back." Ulquiorra agreed and asked directly, "Tell me, what do you want us to do?"
"I hope you can deal with those wizards Tower of Asura and bring back the Soul Crystal they have," Hayasaka Ai said in a sweet voice, her face full of grievance. "With so many wizards gathered together, and high-ranking members of the Alliance overseeing things, we're not suited for these large-scale operations."
"We've already found a way to conquer the dungeon. If all goes well, we can eliminate the Witch God first, so we can focus on dealing with the players in the Tower of Asura!"
Such hypocrisy! Are all the players of Thorny Rose this naive? But what they said makes some sense.
The Witch God won't help, and the Judge hasn't transcended the instance. What if the BOSS suddenly jumps out and disrupts the trial?
"Okay, but I have some questions that I need you to answer."
"Uh, I'm not very bright, you can ask Hiyori- chan about the dungeon walkthrough." Hayasaka stuck out her tongue.
"It's not related to the instance; it's about some issues with 'Thorny Rose' itself."
Hayasaka Aoi's eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a hint of confusion. She patted her skirt and said, "We're just small fry. Are you really that interested? Fine, go ahead and ask."
Ulquiorra was very satisfied with this cooperative attitude. He guessed that 'Thorny Rose' might have a 'Taiyi', but in terms of faction strength, he would definitely be relatively weak.
"Deidara, go there." He nodded slightly to his companion before asking, "How do you rank in the faction? What does the Thorny Rose Outpost look like? What unusual things happened when you entered the second phase? Are there many players? Who exactly is the pioneer of the Thorny Rose?"
He spoke at breakneck speed, bombarding her with questions. He scrutinized every detail of Hayasaka Ai's face, but could only see the clear stupidity in her blue eyes.
Every question has a hidden trap. He had already obtained some information from the Hundred Eyes of True Knowledge, and this woman was telling the truth. So, only the final step remained.
A powerful sense of oppression swept over her, causing Bradley to take a half-step back in surprise. Hayasaka Ai could barely think, let alone weave a lie. Fortunately, Shiina Hiyori lived in her mind. The silver-haired girl in the distance seemed to be sleeping, but in reality, she had already activated all her special abilities.
Read, think, reason, and then pass the answer to Hayasaka Ai as if cheating.
The blonde maid trembled with fear, licking her dry lips as she answered the questions one by one.
Ulquiorra expressionless, offering neither affirmation nor denial to any answer, which put even more pressure on Hayasaka Ai, who wondered if she had said something wrong.
Bradley's trembling intensified, and he placed his hand on his saber. At that moment, Ulquiorra's voice, sharp as a knife, cleaved through all psychological defenses.
"One last question--"
His voice poured directly into his mind, so loud that even Bradley couldn't hear it. The cause and effect began to trace back to the source. As long as the other party had seen Taiyi, there was no need to even answer.
Have you ever heard of 'Taiyi'?
"Deidara, there's nothing wrong with these women."
A few minutes later, Deidara, who was flying on a Shiratori, received a message that the problem had been verified.
The girl's words perfectly matched the information from the Hundred Eyes of True Knowledge, such as the unique vortex, the scarcity of players, and the ability to connect to the Borderlands upon entering the second stage. The key point was that she had never heard of any 'Taiyi'.