Chapter 333
The hint only gives players a common goal, but nobody wants to take any risks.
Yuki had already figured it out; everyone wanted to take advantage. As for the two people, he glanced at them from afar and, just as the portrait showed, one had Saber's face and the other was a little girl.
Such a lack of chivalry suggests she's not Saber, and the girl's black hair means she's not Illya either.
As a former fan of the Moonlit Night, Yuki was actually quite willing to make contact with the Valhalla, but the other party remained neutral and did their own thing throughout the entire instance, so he couldn't very well shamelessly approach them.
"He has been watching us."
Yuki was speaking chilling words; at this moment, it was the most terrifying ghost story imaginable.
Each player was a seasoned veteran; once they were close enough to the core of the mausoleum, even without the clues from exploring the tower, their intuition told them the answer:
That jinx was right; the Witch God has awakened, but for some reason, he hasn't fully awakened yet.
Gurgle.
Frieren swallowed subconsciously, then obediently tugged at Yuki's sleeve. "The state of the Witch God has been determined. Why don't we go back the way we came?"
This statement resonated with everyone, and they all nodded in agreement, especially Peggy, the mercenary who was practically invisible, who knelt on the ground almost reverently.
You can sleep now, I won't disturb you.
"Scared?" Yuki glanced at him sideways.
"Hahaha, how can a man say he's afraid? He's just a little cowardly." Yan Zhu chuckled dryly, but no one understood his dry humor at that moment.
"Be rational, we can still get back the same way. Who among you can bypass hint five? Besides, I've already analyzed the plan on the way to explore the tower." Yuki's face was expressionless, his eyes filled with calm.
Three plans and fifteen contingency plans—just writing them all down would be difficult enough.
Everyone's expressions froze. As the signs of the Witch God's awakening became clearer, Yuki had already made plans, one of which was specifically for the current situation.
The black staircase constantly channeled energy into the crack. Why was it feigning sleep? It was because it wasn't fully awake. When a fully awakened Witch God appeared, how could the players possibly withstand it?
Therefore, it is necessary to wake it up in advance and interrupt this false slumber, but the problem is that the Witch God has been awake for four days and its current strength is already terrifying.
"But we only need to hold on for two more days, and we can unite the other players." Kento Nanami clenched his fist, his expression somewhat ferocious, reflecting a common sentiment among players.
I'll take the benefits, you guys bear the risks. Why should I be the one to do something as terrible as awakening the Witch God?
"Don't take any chances. We're not related, why should we sacrifice ourselves to let us escape? You've been through at least a dozen dungeons, when have players ever teamed up to fight a boss?"
Yuki's words are cruel, but they are the Truth. Player cooperation is limited to two or three factions, and players in the War Tower are already abnormally respectable.
"There is no friendship, only the times. Now, a high-probability opportunity to weaken the Boss is right in front of us. Are you really going to just watch him recover for another three days?" Yuki touched the black staircase with his scabbard, making a 'thump thump' sound.
[Hint 1: The Witch God will fully awaken in seven days. Players can choose to terminate the revival ritual or defeat the Witch God.]
The hint didn't contain a single unnecessary punctuation mark; the word 'thoroughly' hung over them like a knife. Led by Yuki, they had reached the core of the tomb and understood the meaning of each word in the hint.
When the seven towers were activated and the Witch God's Tower appeared, the Witch God had already begun to awaken. The staircase beneath his feet, which Rita could not purify at all, acted like a main pipeline, continuously providing energy.
"We can choose to terminate the resurrection ritual and bring all the Soulless Ones here; that should be enough to sever this ladder." Yomi's eyes darted around, choosing to settle for second best.
"I told you, the Witch God is watching the giant island. He won't just stand by and watch us lay mines outside." Yuki pointed to the fiery clouds behind them, his tone flat. "Besides, how are hundreds of Soulless Ones going to get through the defenses? Every one they die is one less."
No one spoke up now. They had already experimented on Rita on the way, Witch God, in a dormant state, would concentrate his firepower. Despite the heavy protection, only two of the few Soulless Ones remained.
"Is there really no other way?"
"Yes, as I mentioned in the plan, if we can't strengthen ourselves, we'll weaken the enemy. We'll disrupt the ritual three days in advance, trying to make the Witch God's awakening state incomplete. Mr. Nanami, didn't you want to unite the players?" Yuki looked over and smiled sinisterly.
"Facts speak louder than words. Let them face the Witch God directly, and they will naturally make a reasonable choice."
With three days remaining, the other players will enter the mausoleum in turn. If the Witch God awakens early, no one can outrun their companions; it's either a desperate battle or a mutual annihilation.
But Yuki had another thought: Wasn't the Judge looking for cannon fodder? I'd like to see who's more terrifying, the Witch God or the Judge.
"Directly removing the seven-day return condition?" Kento Nanami gasped. That was too ruthless. "You'll be hated by the other players to death."
"I don't crave the understanding of fools. Even if the Witch God recovers in three more days, it will be too late for them to unite." Yuki looked at the tense faces and changed his tone to a command:
"I'll take the biggest risk if we stick to the plan, what are you afraid of!"
Chapter Twenty-Six: The Lost Ones and the Reincarnated
Step into the night, pluck the stars from the sky.
Yuki walked very slowly. The higher he climbed, the more immense the pressure became. A powerful and ominous aura leaked from the cracks, and in the deathly silence, one could hear the rapid beating of his heart.
A boss that surpasses even the 'monster'.
Yuki stared intently at the crack ahead, his thoughts surging like a tide, countless ideas rising and falling, the scent in his nostrils called 'time', and the fragments in his mind called 'death'.
According to the Mechanical Believers, there is a huge gap between epic and monster levels, and they are the real bosses in the Reincarnation Game.
From Monster III to Monster IV, a dozen or so specialization points are enough, but from Monster IV to Epic, even if I achieve the achievement, I don't know how many points I'll need.
The Reincarnation Game doesn't have an experience bar, but Yuki, sensing the passage of time, understands what it means to have mountains beyond mountains.
A mere line separates them, yet the difference is like heaven and earth. How many level 6 items would it take? How many specialization points would it take to max out their physical attributes or traits?
He didn't know that, according to the Reincarnation Game's mechanics, even if a pay-to-win player earned 10,000 enhancement points, they still couldn't reach that level. It would require completing an extremely difficult task and achieving an epic feat.
"I've already achieved the Epic rank; all I lack are points. Sooner or later, I'll be among them."
As he pondered, Yuki gradually straightened his back. Unlike the Flame Pillar and others, he only lacked experience.
We must be confident, we should be confident. If we could quell the war between Human Bug that lasted for countless years, why can't we face the Witch God directly?
"Plan two, take your positions."
Yuki stopped on the last step, turned around, and saw the players emptying their pockets and nervously setting traps. He then gave them a complicated look.
Some were concerned, some were in awe, some admired, and some were filled with fear.
They had never heard of any player daring to face the Boss alone, not even to get close enough to take a look, yet it couldn't be described as reckless or ignorant.
This is the most rational plan, yet it requires the most insane people to carry it out.
Like stirring up a hornet's nest, that really takes a lot of skill and daring.
"Actually, I'm not crazy at all; on the contrary, I'm surprisingly calm."
Yuki shook his head. He never made bets he wasn't sure of winning. This stemmed from his improved strength, the help from his partners inside and outside the tower, and of course, his rich experience and meticulous calculations.
Aside from Calamity of Blood, Yuki defeated every boss he encountered, proving himself to be a true expert.
The Reincarnation Game does not issue missions that guarantee certain death. The strength of the dungeon boss is roughly equal to the sum of the players' initial combat power. This threat level will decrease as the player levels up within the dungeon and triggers various weakening conditions.
Another crucial point is that the two Judge have different tasks and are not included in this formula, which allows us to roughly estimate the strength of the Witch God.
"I'm going now, you guys focus."
Yuki didn't say much, took a step, and disappeared into the crack.
"A feeling of soul-like passage through a fog gate."
It was as if stirring and melodious music was playing in his ears. Yuki stood in the sky, holding his sword, looking around with indifferent eyes.
Beneath my feet were rolling clouds, and through the gaps I could see the vast land. The cities, mountains, and lakes looked so small. When I came to my senses, I found myself standing on the Red Earth Continent.
Seven-colored pillars of light connected heaven and earth, like seven pillars supporting a temple in the sky. Looking up, there was a vast starry sky. Yuki's knowledge of astronomy was very limited, and he couldn't tell where he was in the universe.
Behind him were countless cracks, and in front of him stood a tower-like throne, the center of all energy, upon which sat a Giant.
It was estimated to be twenty meters tall, draped in a simple black robe. Its exposed hands and feet resembled withered tree trunks, covered with hideous scars. Several thick, black tubes were connected to its back, and without switching to Devil's Vision, one could tell what was being injected.
The hood obscured his face, and there seemed to be a cluster of purple starlight on his forehead.
Even though he was a kilometer away, Yuki felt as if he were right next to him, like looking at a high mountain and still not being able to see its full shape no matter how hard you try.
Rolling black clouds, a tiny earth, a silent, deathly stillness.
A few seconds later, Yuki drew his Hunter's Blunderbuss and pointed it at the distant Giant: "Want me to give you a gentle sting?"
The Giant remained asleep, only his fingers twitching slightly, almost imperceptibly. As thunder roared overhead, the sound of thunder brought the gods' answer.
"You really don't want to live a few more days?"
The sound came from all directions, yet its exact location could not be discerned. Yuki didn't look around; he simply smiled and looked ahead.
"If I wake you up now, you might live. But if I waste a few more days and you accumulate more strength, you'll surely die." Yuki stroked the hilt of his sword, as if joking, "I'm not a very smart person, but I know that the more the enemy wants you to do something, the less you should do it."
Your words are sharp. Regardless of how I know you've woken up, just tell me if my guess was right or wrong.
The expert player actually guessed my plan correctly. Indeed, I still had 20% of my energy left to recover, and I couldn't heal my last few wounds while I was asleep.
The Witch God's head swayed slightly, somewhat surprised by the newcomer's professionalism. He slowly raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
As lightning flashed, Yuki felt an invisible knife slicing into his head.
His gaze was like a knife, piercing through bones, stirring up internal organs, and even penetrating the spirit.
"No wonder. I was wondering why their goals were so clear and able to suppress their greed for mutual plunder. They are the true henchmen of the Reincarnation Game. But you are too weak. You shouldn't be involved in this war. You're not even qualified to punish the Lost Ones have fallen to the border."
What is he saying? I can't understand a word he's saying!
Yuki raised an eyebrow, trying to hide the confusion in his eyes. This was not only due to his strong mental fortitude, but also because he had had similar experiences that were both incomprehensible and impressive before.
For example, the evil god in the Bystander Is Blind Blinded by His Own Interest," or Khorne in "The Calamity of Blood," unfamiliar terms can completely confuse people, just like when I first heard the word "faction."
But because of his experience, Yuki knew that now was not the time to decipher. To get more clues, he had to strike while the iron was hot and continue along with what the other person was saying.
"But you're also weak; sending us is enough."
"Hahahaha, seven thousand years have passed, and my name, Chirkas, has become so worthless? You think a few fourth-tier minions can handle this? Oh wait, you're a little special. Which reincarnated being are you? In that case, what's the difference between you and me?"
The violent laughter caused the clouds to churn and lightning to flash. It also made Yuki grip his sword tightly. He couldn't understand anything anymore, and felt that letting a person who had been lonely for seven thousand years answer his own questions was the best way to handle the situation.
"But that makes sense. With you and those ants outside, you have a chance to take me down. You're even putting on a show of suffering, but you shouldn't have come alone."
"'Only by experiencing life and death can one truly experience the cycle of reincarnation'? Your Reincarnation Game is just about seeking thrills."
What do you mean by "your Reincarnation Game"? And the tone of that sentence is off; it sounds more like a motto.
As Yuki listened, his back was covered in cold sweat. He was glad he had arrived early; the entire giant island was indeed under the surveillance of the Witch God.
In a short while, he could not learn the full story of the events, but he could deduce that the Witch God was named Chirkas, who had been resurrected after seven thousand years and then died, which was most likely related to the Reincarnation Game.
Is it because the two sides have a grudge that the first hint doesn't include an option to help revive the Witch God? Just as Hiyori analyzed, the reason the first hint is set up this way is because even if the Witch God is resurrected, the player won't survive.
Wait a minute, why does this thing look somewhat similar to the concept of a 'Global Insect Calamity'?
'So in His eyes, the players are a whole, belonging to the category of beings who must die?'
Yuki a beat; wasn't this perfect?
In an instant, a holy light appeared on Yuki's face as he gripped his steel blade. "Even the three of us have a chance to kill you, and with the other players Isshin, it's more than enough."
These highly provocative words calmed the clouds and thunder, Yuki's actions were indeed threatening.
He controls two towers and leads dozens of powerful players, which is already quite formidable. More importantly, he arrived here ahead of time, thus initiating the final battle ahead of schedule.
The Witch God pondered, weighing the strengths and weaknesses of each other. But since his fall seven thousand years ago, a wisp of his soul had fallen into this world and been drawn into the cycle of Reincarnation Game. He had no choice.
For seven thousand years, through countless Reconnaissance, approaches, and attacks, this time they've even sent a strange reincarnator. Just how much does the Reincarnation Game hate us to be willing to go to such lengths?
Some doubts were overshadowed by fear. Yes, the Witch God was terrified. He had spent so much time secretly resurrecting, only to be discovered. Wasn't his goal to gather strength, escape the enemy's pursuit, and return to his own world?
"Hmm, you can give it a try."
As fear and anger intertwined, with a 'thud,' the Giant on the throne finally opened his eyes, raised his hand, and severed the tubes connecting to the back of his head.
He left His throne, carrying both new and old grudges, and wanted to make the blasphemers pay the price. If you want to punish me, at least send an epic-level weakling. What's the point of sending these ants?
'Did my slap hurt His pride and create a sense of urgency in Him?'
Yuki looked up abruptly, but could no longer see the Giant's face clearly, because the lightning falling from the sky had formed armor, and the intense light it emitted was like a sun.
Just like the rolling black clouds beneath our feet, energy is spreading out, dispersing into every inch of space. Switching to the Devil's Vision, we can see the throne of gods erupting.
So that's how it is. This throne is like a repair chamber. Whenever the tower is opened, the Witch God sits on it and continuously pours energy into his body. After he wakes up, this energy seeps into the giant island.
He glanced at the continent beneath his feet; the seven pillars of light were still continuously supplying energy, which was concentrated on the throne through 'pipelines' and finally injected into the body of the Witch God.
"This energy will definitely still be useful, but it's still less efficient than directly pouring it into the Witch God's body."
Yuki resisted the urge to pull the trigger and ignite the geyser, watching as the lightning formed a giant spear in the Witch God's hand, and then—
He turned and ran.
The thunder didn't strike, clearly the Witch God was also stunned, unable to understand what the 'Reincarnator' who had been spouting nonsense was plotting. Could it be that he thought those vermin outside the door could stop him?
Yuki didn't care what he was thinking. He was just an annoying mosquito who had finally woken up the half-asleep man. Did he expect the other person to slap him to death?