Chapter 338

"It's not the Witch God, it's... it's those wizards. They've become so powerful, Mr. Bradley can't hold them off any longer. Hundreds of wizards will soon sweep the fog away from the city."

Wizards can certainly find Soulless Ones, and the Alliance are experts in this field. Ulquiorra suddenly remembered that there was another, relatively unknown force on this giant island.

This is such a hassle.

The two of them certainly didn't want to get involved, nor was there any sense of loyalty in returning the favor. However, the wizard could dispel the fog and discover himself, and these Soulless Ones had already shown their value and had to be preserved.

If you don't adopt a stance of punishing the Witch God, why would the Soulless Ones help you? As for mind control, once the mist is tainted by the player's aura, it becomes useless.

"Wait." Ulquiorra hung up the communication, feeling that he had made a mistake in his previous actions. He should have just let Deidara kill all the wizards; now he was in trouble again.

"The awakening of the Witch God has strengthened those wizards. Let's work together to quickly eliminate these ants before going to find him!"

Ha, this must be what it feels like to remotely control a battlefield from thousands of miles away.

Yuki ate his pocky, watching the chaotic battle outside like a spectator. The city was being destroyed piece by piece, and the number of players was rapidly decreasing, while the players of the Tower of Asura could simply watch the show.

With senior students helping him with his eye exams and Hiyori Shared Reading, he knew everything. He confirmed that there was a difference in strength between the Witch God inside and outside the mausoleum, and that energy concentration was directly proportional to combat power.

Did the Witch God not know there was something fishy going on? Of course He did, but He couldn't stop; at least eliminating the players was never wrong.

Does the Judge have no way to break the deadlock? They do, but there are only so many options, and every path is within Yuki's calculations.

"Build trust, monitor locations, experiment with characteristics, stall for time, use others to do your dirty work, eliminate dissidents—all objectives are being pursued simultaneously. How can you play me?"

Yuki snorted, placed a piece, and simultaneously completed six objectives. The root of all this lay in the design of the Reincarnation Game, which implied that errors were impossible.

I am indeed a lone wolf, but I have three different squads. You'll never get anywhere until you figure that out.

This forms the foundation of the development plan, upon which the framework for 'features' is built.

"Judging from Kaguya's 'True Shot, Sure Hit', the Witch God cannot suppress this trait. This faction's talent is indeed very strange."

"Why?" Hiyori asked, looking for an answer. She had already heard Yuki mention Mona.

"How should I know? Maybe the Reincarnation Game still has some conscience left. How can it function without some cheats when it makes us ordinary people players?" Yuki muttered, making the others want to laugh but unable to.

It didn't seem so bad on Earth, since everyone was just an ordinary person. But after entering this new phase, it's become very unbalanced. How can these high school students compete with androids, demon hunters, and demons?

"Regardless of the reason, it's a good thing no matter what. With this experiment, the plan is more secure. Senior, remember to come and pick up the gun when you have time."

Mai Sakurajima rolled her eyes slightly. Why was it always her who was doing such dangerous things, venturing into the lion's den?

"How's the battle between the Judge and the wizards going?" Yuki asked again, with Void Puppet watching nearby.

"They are very strong; even the enhanced wizards are no match for them. And as you predicted, they are very careful to protect those Soulless Ones."

"Of course we have to protect them. That's their disguise. We can't afford to be careless." Yuki smiled sinisterly. This tactic of using someone else to do the dirty work didn't even require him to lift a finger. He had already ruined one of the Witch God's trump cards and inadvertently drawn a lot of hatred.

That's only one reason. The second reason is intelligence Reconnaissance. The enhanced wizard is not weak, so the two of them have to get serious. Then, Hiyori, who was running away from the side, recorded the whole thing.

Thirdly, it buys time, reducing their time to search for themselves, or rather, to think about the loopholes.

Finally, this will lead to the next steps in the plan.

"Without these wizards interfering, the plan to cut off the covered bridges can be put on the agenda. Wait for my signal, and have the Soulless Ones cut off the three covered bridges. This should weaken the energy of the mausoleum."

Ignoring the false targets, the scattered Soulless Ones all follow a pattern: they can reach the outer corridors of the Forest Elf Tower, the Tower of Asura, and the War Tower in the shortest time, and then wait for an opportunity when the Witch God is too busy to attend to anything else.

Everything was arranged perfectly. There are no inexplicable things in the world, only the interweaving of open and covert schemes, so Hiyori was never flustered.

She knew that when Mr. Yuki placed his last piece, he had done everything in his power to lay a tight net, and with his increasing strength and experience, this net was becoming increasingly intricate.

"I hate deus ex machina or last-minute bursts of energy. Even if it's a fight to the death, there has to be some degree of certainty." Yuki muttered to himself, a strategic mind at work. "Don't relax. Keep gathering intelligence. This is just creating favorable conditions. When it comes to the final step, strength will be the deciding factor."

Everyone nodded, clearly already used to Yuki's style. This time, players made up a larger proportion of the dungeon's players, and the plot was quite simple.

"You idiot, will those Soulless Ones die?" Mai Sakurajima suddenly remembered something; cutting off the supply would require burning her own soul.

"Remember Lieutenant Chris? Death means nothing to them; the key is whether their deaths are worthwhile." Yuki didn't look at his senior, turning his head to the side, his tone indifferent:

"Whether it's players or characters in the story, everyone has their own mission, and my role is to make their deaths meaningful."

It's not that they're cold-hearted; given the chance to end their nightmares, they'd probably be willing to die if you asked those Soulless Ones.

Mai Sakurajima thought of the Defense Force. In a sense, the Soulless Ones were not as good as the Defense Force. At least the latter received heroic treatment, Soulless Ones were repeatedly persecuted and still thought about saving the world.

Those who persecuted them will enjoy the fruits of their labor, and may not even appreciate it, because civilization will regress, and in later history books, both players and Soulless Ones will become demons.

"I suddenly understand why many players don't like to delve deeper into the story."

"Yes, getting too immersed in the role inevitably affects one's performance. I also have to thank the Judge for keeping me from interacting too much with the plot." Yuki could certainly think of these things, but how to put it? His mind was filled with conspiracies and calculations, so he had no energy to be sentimental.

"Senior, don't think so much. As players, we don't need to consider foolish ideas. In the end, we're all just victims of the Reincarnation Game."

Yuki waved his hand. He was quite self-aware; even if this batch of players were wiped out, the game could simply create another batch.

Leeks shouldn't dream of saving the world; just focus on doing your own thing, and one day you might become the one wielding the sickle.

After finishing Shared Reading, Yuki turned her attention back to reality. The players were all taking a break and listening intently to the clear singing that echoed through the palace.

The black-haired girl was kneeling on the ground, praying, and the voice was coming from her mouth. The thin, blonde girl lay silently in front of her.

Jis is dead.

The purification of the Soulless Ones is a form of Soul Split; if one operates under excessive strain for a short period, they will become a true 'Soulless Ones'.

The song was melodious and sorrowful. From the most straightforward Huozhu and the most shrewd Kento Nanami to the most silent Frieren, each player had a different expression and didn't know what to say.

I remember that when the War Tower was first established, there were dozens of mercenaries and a dozen or so Soulless Ones. But as they walked, only Rita remained.

Offering comfort seems hypocritical; everyone fights side by side, and there are bound to be some feelings involved, but mature players can conceal these feelings.

"She has fulfilled her mission."

A detached voice rang out, Yuki walked over. His appearance surprised everyone, as this man had always kept his distance from the characters in the story.

Yuki didn't care about getting too involved in the role; as the planner, he had a responsibility to evaluate the deceased Jis.

"I'm not sad." Rita wiped her face, equally surprised. "Our mission as Soulless Ones is to destroy the Witch God and free the Red Earth Continent from the curse, even if it's unknown and misunderstood by the world."

"Yes, there's no need to think about whether it's worth it." Yuki gently, pulling out a white handkerchief to cover Jis's face. "Life is like currency; death will come sooner or later. It's just a matter of whether the death has any value."

This was the respect that the strong showed to each other. Having witnessed just how powerful this man was, Rita opened her mouth slightly and remained silent for a long while.

"Thanks."

"No need for thanks. Sharing the same goal makes us comrades. I'm offering you the opportunity to destroy the Witch God, and I need your strength in return. We may differ in strength, but our will is equal, and in some ways, I may even be inferior to you."

"Where?"

"Every Soulless Ones comes to the Witch God's Tower is prepared to sacrifice themselves, but I have been searching for a way to survive." Yuki's expression was solemn, as he already knew the outcome.

Players can return, but even if the natives destroy the Witch God, how can they go back to the heavens? That's why those noble tower explorers all gave their last wishes.

This was a one-way ticket; one wouldn't enter the tower without a death wish.

"You really can see right through anything," Rita laughed, regaining a hint of her usual liveliness. "Do you know why I didn't let you look through the books?"

"Because it contains a lot of bad things said about the chosen tower explorers."

Rita was taken aback, then pouted. Playing guessing games with this man was really boring.

Yes, the ancient texts are full of players' dark history, full of betrayals, abandonments, and exploitation. Players will do anything for the main storyline and to survive. The Soulless Ones is nothing more than a useful tool.

Don't be fooled by their goodwill; it's just that it's not time for them to use you yet.

"You're different from them. You could have abandoned us many times along the way, but you were willing to take the risk to rescue us."

"No, I'm the same as them. I'm saving you because you haven't reached your full potential." Yuki the saint. Seeing the girl's expression freeze, he added, "Of course, there's one difference. I'm treating you as human beings, not tools to be used at will. Even if our interests align and you're doomed to die anyway, I hope you'll do it willingly."

They were destined to die, the difference lay in the value of their deaths and their attitudes towards them. Jis's affirmation of Yuki and the opportunities he provided were enough for Rita to die with a smile.

"Mr. Li, you are so cruel yet so kind." Rita smiled, glancing at Yomi and the others. "Everyone is a good person. Miss Yomi gave me a chocolate bar, Miss Frieren gave me a flight, and Mr. Yan Zhu even hugged me."

These words were both frank and sarcastic, leaving the players unsure how to react. They approached the Soulless Ones because they were useful, but was it really that simple?

"Don't say such discouraging things, it almost made me cry. Girl, I promise to slay the Witch God." Yan Zhu gripped his sword, his expression one of gritted teeth.

"It was under Mr. Li's leadership that the Witch God was defeated," Kento Nanami corrected, glancing at the lonely girl and sighing, "Sigh, that's why I don't want to get too involved in the plot; emotions can cloud judgment."

"But it is precisely because of our hatred for evil that the Demon Extermination Squad has come this far." Yomi Isayama, the true captain, went to embrace the girl. "Those Soulless Ones are fearless in their sacrifice, so we should also risk our lives to eradicate evil completely."

This combination of interests and values made Yuki think more highly of the Demon Extermination Squad; pursuing Justice in Reincarnation Game is extremely rare.

"And you, what are your thoughts?" Yuki glanced at the expressionless Frieren.

"I'm thinking about how to keep Rita alive."

The gentle reply startled Yuki, who could no longer hide her smile.

The plan wouldn't change, but working with the same group of 'people' always made him feel good. Coincidentally, the second Shared Reading began.

"Mr. Yuki, we are ready."

Hundreds of data points were shared, Yuki quickly glanced through them before raising his hand and pressing Rita's head down.

"Wipe away your tears, I'll help you kill the Witch God."

Chapter Thirty: The General (6K)

As each piece is placed, the chessboard of the Witch God's Tower is becoming simpler and simpler.

Ordinary players are being slaughtered indiscriminately by the Witch God. Without the protection of the Soulless Ones, they have no chance to resist on this giant island.

Invisibility and concealment of presence were useless; the Witch God could appear anytime, anywhere, and choose his targets at will, inflicting heavy losses on them in just half a day.

Therefore, ordinary players have no choice but to band together for self-protection and gravitate towards their fellow members in the War Tower in order to gain protection.

The Judge have wiped out all the wizards. The powerful Tower Explorer Alliance was originally a safeguard left by the Witch God and was theoretically a formidable enemy, but they completely withdrew from the stage without even seeing the Yuki.

Those were hundreds of enhanced wizards. The Judge were also greatly exhausted, but they had no choice and dared not rest. They immediately began searching for Yuki and the others.

As for the third-party Witch God, even as a boss, he had no choice. After killing more than a dozen players, he immediately threw himself into the task of resolving the fog of war, but due to the complete annihilation of the wizards, his efficiency was greatly reduced.

He had to proceed cautiously, probing through the fog one by one, lest He fall into an ambush. He wasn't in a hurry; the players had to enter the mausoleum in 36 hours. As long as He weakened them a bit more, with the advantage of playing on home ground, He couldn't possibly lose.

Chaos was the dominant theme of the giant island. The Soulless Ones purified hundreds of areas of varying sizes, some of which were still moving. The Witch God could not see inside and cautiously made several attempts, only to find that there were only two or three weak Soulless Ones inside.

Even if there were two hundred, no, fifty wizards who obeyed the Oracle and acted as pathfinders, He could clear away the fog in a short time. Countless calculations surged in His mind, unable to understand what kind of conspiracy this was.

As for who's plotting this, it's undoubtedly the two players who eliminated their own henchmen.

"It's easier to fish in muddy waters, and the giant island is now muddier than muddy."

Wearing the Fool's Mask, Yuki switched to the face of a blond youth. Shiina Hiyori, like a signal station, continuously provided information about every cloud of fog of war, as well as intelligence on the remaining players, through 'Shared Reading'.

While Yuki was exploring the Witch God's Tower, this colossal city had already been subdivided into hundreds of districts by Hiyori, and then, through the combined genius of the two, they created an unbelievable result:

In the Witch God's Tower, it wasn't the Witch God who revealed the entire map, but Yuki.

He knew which were fake targets, which were bait, where the scattered players were located, and the Judge's plan.

"Disperse all players and assign one or two Soulless Ones to move around and search for me. Even if we encounter the Witch God, the loss will only be a few players. It's a very safe plan."

Yuki repeated his studies once, so the plan was certainly sound, since it was proposed by him through Hiyori.

Once the player finds the Tower of Asura, immediately start the battle, reveal the relationship to let the Witch God sit back and watch the fight, and then use this time to concentrate forces and rush into the mausoleum to start the final battle.

This is a last resort, better than being wiped out one by one by the Witch God in the city, and the Judge will certainly not object to this plan.

They just want to find me quickly, kill me, and then immediately start their operation.

"The chessboard has been set up. Those two Judge are quite cautious; they even brought a hostage to avoid being betrayed. Unfortunately, the hostage you brought is named Mai Sakurajima."

His smile grew even colder; this was all pre-arranged, and the outcome was obvious.

The director is Yuki, so of course he wants you to be able to find it if you want to, and if you don't, you'll just be a bunch of headless flies wandering around in a huge city.

"Mr. Yuki, we have preliminary observation results." Hiyori's voice was soft, unlike the trembling girl in the Demon Hospital; it was full of confidence.

The players didn't die in vain; their resistance and struggles were all observed by Hiyori, who acted as a guinea pig, providing data for them.

"Explain."

"After entering the 'void' area created by the Soulless Ones, the Witch God will first disperse energy with lightning, and only then can he use powers such as teleportation." Hiyori paused for a moment, then summarized:

"On giant islands, especially inside tombs, He can skip this step. In uncontaminated places, He must release it from within His body, but this ability is terrifying; He releases the domain at the same time as attacking."

The Witch God can be likened to a fish, and this giant island is the sea. Especially within the mausoleum, his power will be greatly enhanced. If in a pure area, he will spout water from his body.

"His power to control lightning is already terrifying. Authority like Purgatory and Forest Spirits, which are more materialistic, are themselves spreading energy. To defeat Him, we must first get this fish out of the water." Yuki stroked his chin, updating the plan in sync. The energy accumulated on the giant island could also repair the Witch God, making it almost invincible.

"Yes, and every time He attacks, He transforms into a lightning Giant; I haven't seen the physical form you described."