Yours Truly, a Reincarnation Stream Player

No wonder the difficulty had skyrocketed only after we left the Ancient Castle. Damn it, how had this become my responsibility?

The two of them exchanged a glance, then guiltily looked away from each other. Everyone was responsible, so nobody could shift the blame. Still, comparing answers was painfully awkward.

"The reason doesn't matter anymore, Brother Li. You tell me what to write." Yuki coughed lightly and brought them back on topic.

"Players must not harm other players before the instance ends. Then you tell me the clue. How does that sound?"

"Brother Li, do you think I'm stupid? We can agree to a truce, and you can still have a Living Corpse kill me. Besides, I still have one Gift of the Crimson Moon left. I have to stick close to you, Brother Li."

"Then what do you want to write?"

Yuki thought it over for a moment before answering, "Change the second half to: Before I leave the instance, I'll tell you the way out. How does that sound?"

It was fair enough. If he could leave, then Li Dan certainly could too.

"Fine. Now repeat those two lines to me in your mind."

It was a simple contract, but it offered basic protection. Neither of them dared travel together now, so they might as well make a deal.

Yuki repeated the words silently. He watched the bamboo scroll fly into the sky and unfurl. A phantom brush began to write, projecting the words into the air for both of them to see.

[Player Yuki, you are about to enter into a contract. Confirm?]

A strange voice rang out in his mind. Yuki paused, reading the few dozen characters over and over before finally nodding.

"Confirm."

As soon as he spoke, a vague sensation washed over him, as if he'd been bound by the laws of the world. He couldn't attack Li Dan, and he had to tell him the result before leaving.

"Brother Li, it's been a pleasure working with you."

Li Dan didn't even bother to respond. This had been no pleasure at all. At least on the surface, he wouldn't get his hands on that vital trait.

"Watch yourself. We'll settle this in the next instance."

"Sure. I'll be waiting."

Yuki smiled as he saw Li Dan off. Only after confirming he was out of sight did he let out a long breath.

Li Dan wasn't some hothead who'd lash out in anger. He was clever and levelheaded. As long as I hold on to his weak spot and find a common interest, he won't attack me, even if he could kill me instantly.

"He's gone?" Mai Sakurajima cautiously raised her head from behind the wall. She was another trump card. Since they'd lied to each other, none of the information Yuki gave her could be trusted.

"Yeah. He had no choice. Killing me would be pointless beyond letting off steam, and someone like Li Dan is even more afraid of dying than I am."

"Afraid of death? Shouldn't he be used to it by now?"

"Exactly. After experiencing the joy of transcendent power and working so hard to overcome countless obstacles, even if he's nowhere near the peak, he'll only fear death more..."

"Please speak like a normal person."

Yuki rolled his eyes. He fired the Rope Gun and turned to answer her.

"Nothing to lose, nothing to fear!"

The few of them had only joined the game yesterday. If they died, so be it. But the veteran players had pulled off countless Limit maneuvers and twisted their humanity in all sorts of ways just to get this far.

Die alongside a few rookies to save face? Give me a break!

Yuki swung over to the rooftop across the street, landing right beside Hayasaka Ai. They barely needed to speak. One look was enough for them to know what the other was thinking.

As expected of an expert.

Well done, Hayasaka.

The plan had been devised by the two of them together. Hayasaka Ai's Fool Mask had been handed to Mai Sakurajima back when they killed the Tyrant. It had begun working when they crossed the barbed wire fence, so Hayasaka Ai was the one who'd been dragged away.

They'd carried out the entire plan right under Li Dan's nose without exchanging a word. The scheming Li Dan had ended up playing the Fool, handing over control without a fight.

"Li Dan was wrong. I'm not the only genius rookie who can affect the game's difficulty." Yuki grinned with satisfaction, meeting Hayasaka Ai's admiring gaze.

He wasn't getting ahead of himself, nor had he staged some heroic rescue. But still, it was hard not to be moved when Hayasaka Ai admired him so openly.

"Things should go smoothly from here, right?"

Yuki didn't answer. He glanced in the direction Li Dan had gone, then answered Hayasaka Ai with his eyes:

The real show had only just begun!

Chapter 46: Yuki's Transformation (6K)

Li Dan had left, and the contract had been signed. Under the rules of the game, nothing unexpected could happen. But when Hayasaka Ai saw Yuki's expression, her heart, which had only just settled, began to pound again.

There was no reason for it. Everything this man had said had come true, and he hadn't been wrong once since the game began.

"I believe you."

Her answer was simple, and she said nothing more. Yuki found it rather amusing and raised his fist.

"You're not worried I'll pull something this time? I scared you pretty badly last time."

"I'm not stupid. This isn't about saving face. Who'd want to let you grow stronger?" Hayasaka Ai raised her hand, her nails painted, and bumped her knuckles against Yuki's. Then she glanced to the side. "Don't get cocky. Look, Mai isn't happy."

Mai Sakurajima stood beside them, watching with a somewhat peculiar expression. Even though she'd played a crucial role, she didn't share their effortless rapport.

But at Hayasaka Ai's teasing, her expression immediately returned to normal. She raised her chin slightly. "Who isn't happy? You two kept me in the dark. Turns out you'd already noticed something was wrong."

"I wouldn't dare say anything without confirmation. That has nothing to do with trust." Yuki stood straight, his peripheral vision fixed on the fat man in the distance.

He was cowering in a corner, coughing as he sat there like an idiot. He wanted to come over but didn't dare.

"Of course it doesn't." Hayasaka Ai suddenly chimed in, giving the young woman in front of her an equally peculiar look. "Mai risked her life for you. If you still don't trust her, do you have a conscience?"

Her tone was partly teasing and partly sarcastic. Yuki immediately shut his mouth, glancing at Mai Sakurajima as she bit down on her teeth.

The senior student didn't get angry—or perhaps getting angry would've been even more embarrassing. She simply grinned, a hint of defiance in her smile. "I was thanking him for turning the tide. I just agreed to grant him a favor, that's all. What about you? Don't you have anything to offer?"

"Heh, I don't mind." Hayasaka Ai didn't intend to back down. She smiled and turned her head. "Yuki, what kind of perk do you want?"

Please don't say "perk" with such a terrifying look in your eyes. It makes it seem like I'll die if I ask for something naughty.

And Mai, I heard you switch off the safety on your pistol. If I treat one of you differently, are you planning to put a few holes in me?

An aura of murderous intent spread through the air, but that was no problem for Yuki.

"Hayasaka, if you have time, put on a maid outfit for me."

Hmph, that's more like it. At least you know what's good for you.

Mai released her grip on the pistol. Then something even stranger happened: Hayasaka Ai didn't get embarrassed or lose her cool. Her eyes merely flickered with a strange look before she nodded.

"No problem. I'll do it."

What the hell was wrong with this woman? How could she accept it so calmly? My bunny-girl outfit was still a dark stain on my past.

It must be a bluff. I'll remember this: things are only fair when we both have embarrassing secrets to hold over each other.

She was waiting to see what would happen, while Yuki quietly let out a breath. He'd managed to bluff his way through this little test.

A maid outfit might seem embarrassing, but for Hayasaka Ai, wasn't it just work clothes? She'd worn one as part of her daily routine for ages.

"Fatso, get over here!"

Yuki called out. As soon as he spoke, Robert came running over in a panic. He threw himself down like a tiger pouncing on its prey, slammed both knees onto the rooftop, and hugged Yuki's leg as he began to cry.

"Brother Yuki, don't kill me! I was only following that bastard Li Dan's orders! I never meant to leave you behind back then!"

When they'd crossed the railway, he'd run faster than anyone else, indirectly selling Yuki out. Who could've guessed that things were so complicated—that this was a clash between new and veteran players, and the rookies would actually win?

Who could he even complain to? Of course a normal person would've sided with Li Dan.

There was no need to pretend to be afraid. Yuki could kill this useless fatso right now, so of course he was terrified.

"I know. If you were one of Li Dan's people, he'd have taken you away just now." Yuki gave him a kind look and gently patted his head. "Don't cry. I'm not as scheming or as ruthless as Li Dan. Besides, we've fought side by side."

Robert didn't believe a single word of the first half, but he agreed with the second. At least from what he'd seen, Yuki, Mai, and Hayasaka Ai got along well. Hadn't they just been joking around?

"Right, right! From now on, I'll do whatever you say. I'll be even more obedient than Miss Hayasaka and Miss Mai!"

Mai Sakurajima looked at him with disgust. He'd been thrilled to leave the two of them behind, and now he was acting like a lapdog. The man had no shred of dignity.

"Good. Do as you're told, and I'll keep you safe. You're a pretty good shot, Fatso. You're still useful." Yuki gave him the same encouraging look Li Dan had used. Switching sides without a second thought was a skill in its own right.

"No problem! Just tell me who to shoot!"

Yuki couldn't be bothered to look at him. He asked, "Are you wondering how we can survive the last day and night?"

After the brief interruption, they turned their attention back to the real issue. Hayasaka Ai's expression instantly went blank as she returned to her player mindset and checked the time.

"Sunrise is in five hours. I assume you don't plan on waiting until daylight to make a move."

Of course not. The difficulty after moonset would be extreme. Even Li Dan hadn't believed he could make it through safely, which was why he'd turned on them and tried to take the way out from Mai Sakurajima.

"Let me think. You want to avoid the last day and night, right?"

"Exactly. Since moonrise and moonset mark a day, there's a place where we can instantly skip the entire daytime and enter the final night. Then, when we leave that place, the Crimson Moon will set at once."

Yuki laid it out plainly, practically handing them the answer. None of those present were stupid. Like a sheet of paper being pierced, the answer immediately became clear.

"The Ancient Castle of Eternal Night!"

Mai Sakurajima blurted it out, almost wanting to smack herself on the head. How had she not thought of something so simple? She'd been caught up in the situation and hadn't had time to look for a pattern.

Hayasaka Ai narrowed her eyes. She hadn't figured it out either, but she understood that Li Dan must have known. That was why he'd agreed to a truce with Yuki.

The answer wasn't beyond the veteran player's grasp. The question was how to make it work. The Ancient Castle had become a monster spawn point. If they could really kill all the Living Corpses, they wouldn't be afraid of the last day and night.

"So we're going back to the Ancient Castle?"

"Yeah, but the way back won't be peaceful." Yuki looked down at the street. Here and there, Living Corpses were already appearing between the buildings. They wouldn't evolve like they did during the day, but their numbers kept increasing as time passed.

Soon, the entire city would be filled with them. By then, the horde would be impossible to count.

"Whatever happens, we have to hold out until morning. In other words, we need to receive two more Gifts of the Crimson Moon."

Everyone's faces tightened. They followed Yuki's gaze to the street, and their tense expressions turned ashen.

It was as if someone had turned up the brightness. The moonlight suddenly intensified, bathing the world in an even deeper Crimson glow.

Dozens of Living Corpses wandered around the intersection. More than twenty of them disappeared as they walked, as if lost in the thick moonlight.

But they were gone for only an instant. Soon, a monster with blue-gray skin, a fat body, and a swollen belly appeared in the moonlight. The extra Living Corpses had vanished.

It was a transformation in the most literal sense: a man had become a monster—or rather, a Living Corpse. The sight made everyone's breathing quicken.

"Wait, what is that thing?" Mai Sakurajima felt as if she were on a roller coaster. She'd only just started to relax, and now her heart was racing again.

Hayasaka Ai's expression remained blank. She merely ran her hand over the handle of her axe and looked at Yuki, who was scanning the area with binoculars.

"No wonder you insisted on dealing with Li Dan before three in the morning."

Whether the players believed it or not, the cruel truth was right in front of them—

This was the third Gift of the Crimson Moon.

"Random fusion? Turning into elite monsters among the horde? Hmm, that's simpler than I expected. Looks like breaking Li Dan's contract kept the difficulty from stacking as badly as it would have otherwise. That's good news."

Ignoring the three people behind him who were staring at him like he was crazy, Yuki surveyed the horde around the neighborhood and actually relaxed.

The fat ones look a bit like Boomers. I just saw a long-tongued monster, too. Is this turning into Left 4 Dead?

He wasn't surprised. From the start, Yuki had known that the term "Living Corpse" covered many kinds of creatures: the thing beneath the Ancient Castle, for example, or the thousand-year-old zombies that might appear in the future. What mattered more to him was the reason behind it.

The difficulty was definitely increasing, but not by nearly as much as when a Licker evolved into a Tyrant. Fusion also meant there were fewer Living Corpses in the horde. That was still better than having some terrifying monster appear out of nowhere.

If they had to fight off a horde while facing a monster even stronger than a Tyrant, then they'd truly be trapped in a desperate situation.

"We'll go that way." Yuki pointed toward the railway, and a chorus of quick, anxious breaths rose around him.

They were heading toward Tiger Mountain, where the Living Corpses would surely be denser than in the old town. Yuki didn't explain. He fired the Rope Gun straight at the apartment building across from them, then leaped and swung across, gripping the cable.

The night wind brushed his face. A hunched Living Corpse with powerful arms was prowling across the rooftop. It heard the Rope Gun pierce the roof and immediately turned around.

Its face split open from top to bottom, revealing bloodstained fangs. As Yuki landed, it leaped at him, soaring five or six meters into the air.

The monster traced an arc through the air, aiming for Yuki's back. Before Hayasaka Ai could raise her gun, Yuki sidestepped, swinging his roaring Chainsaw Sword straight at it.

The chain saw sliced through its raised arms like it was cutting cheese, plunged into its waist, and burst through its back. The thrill of killing made Yuki's heart race, and a bloodthirsty grin spread across his face.

You think you can ride me?

In an instant, the monster was split into two lifeless halves. Several Living Corpses came running onto the rooftop at the sound, but before they could see what had happened, bullets pierced their heads and they crumpled in a neat row.