Chapter 361

"This situation is rare. The stronger the faction, the more intense the battle. It's like a deathmatch arena. If you don't fight for what others are fighting for, others will eventually fight for what you are, so no one can stay out of it. Only when a balance is reached, and neither side can defeat the other, will an alliance be formed."

Well-reasoned and supported by evidence, Mena Ryougi has some elements of female demons, but is essentially a very experienced player.

Yuki nodded slightly. His situation was unique because he had ascended ahead of time, and his senior classmates couldn't compete with him for it, so he obtained the authority completely.

Because of their initial speed, they continued to move faster. After eliminating "Day" and reclaiming the "Arbitration Council," no player within Thorny Rose could possibly stand against them.

'But I'm not a member of Thorny Rose. This authority has been problematic from the start. Could it be that this was also part of your plan?'

Yuki was slightly lost in thought when a small face suddenly appeared in front of him, causing him to instinctively back away.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to be a pioneer with full authority, would you? I still don't know which faction you belong to." Mona seemed to only just realize this, her face filled with doubt.

"The more you know, the more dangerous it is. Don't you know the Judge are looking for trouble with me?"

"So what? The Judge are indeed universally disliked, but I'm not afraid of them. These cowards who bully the weak and fear the strong won't dare to mess with epic-level players unless there's a target that absolutely must be eliminated."

Coincidentally, in my case, I'm one of those that absolutely must be eliminated.

Yuki didn't say anything, just as he was about to scare the curious kid, when he heard a voice coming from outside the door.

"Mr. Li is right, the more you know, the more dangerous it is. He's protecting you."

The voice was gentle and mature, yet tinged with indifference, like the cold, desolate white moonlight—attracting admiration while simultaneously keeping people at a distance.

"Mother!"

Mena Ryougi cheered and jumped up immediately, and Yuki looked in the direction of the sound. Even though he had seen many waifus in the Reincarnation Game, he was still amazed.

She was a cold and aloof woman, her face indifferent and expressionless, her black eyes devoid of joy or sorrow. But when someone looked at her, their heart would feel as if it were about to stop, as if she were the source of death, and getting close meant certain destruction.

Compared to Yuki's impression, she appeared much more mature, with her black hair reaching her waist and wearing a moon-white kimono, exuding a mature charm with every step she took.

Shiki Ryougi, the young woman version of Shiki Ryougi, did not reveal any Transcendental Grade power. Compared to those players who practically had "I'm strong" written on their foreheads, she seemed more like an ordinary person.

True masters are better at concealing themselves; it turns out that epic-level players don't walk around with an aura of power.

Yuki seemed lost in thought. Of course, this was of her own volition; if Shiki Ryougi were willing, she could make him tremble with just a glance.

She stood up and gave a nod. She and Kokutou Mikiya were known as one of the model couples in the world of anime and manga, belonging to the absolute minority who could not be arrogant.

"Ryougi Shiki ... uh, Your Excellency." Yuki didn't know how to address him.

The young woman was embraced by Mona, a hint of tenderness appearing in her usually cool eyes as she gently stroked her daughter's head.

"Just call me Shi. I'm very grateful for your help in getting Mona through this difficult time, and from her description, it was a chaotic and challenging mission."

Two Judge from Monster IV, and an epic Witch God —it's certainly chaotic and difficult enough.

Yuki exhaled a breath of stale air and accepted the other party's kindness. "Ms. Shiki, it's a pleasure to meet you. Please take care of me."

"Please." Shiki Ryougi glanced at Yuki again, waved her hand gently, and the three of them sat facing each other on either side of the square table.

Everyone, including the Mena Ryougi, sat upright with their backs ramrod straight.

Yuki was a little nervous when he first met an epic-level player. He wondered Shiki Ryougi of epic Ryougi Shiki was while watching her lightly wave her sleeve and take out a steaming teapot from thin air.

The green matcha was poured into the cup with a slow, meticulous motion, while Shiki Ryougi leaned over to brew the tea, casually asking questions as she did so.

"Mona said, 'You know me, so why do you say it's our first meeting?'"

There are ten possible answers to this question. The simplest is that everyone knows the name of the King of Heroes. However, after some consideration, Yuki honestly answered:

"This is my secret, not something Future Sight, but there are some players I can recognize even though I've never seen them."

"Hmm, a very peculiar yet very useful ability." Shiki Ryougi remained noncommittal, her teapot still moving smoothly in her hand. "Because of this, you've been tracked down by the Judge?"

"One of the main reasons." Yuki remained honest; his knowledge as a transmigrator was his greatest advantage.

"Why do you dare to come see me?" Shiki Ryougi asked again.

"Based on a guess, I determined that the risk of seeing you was relatively low, and this is related to my secret."

"What guess?"

Yuki pointed to the obedient Mena Ryougi and said meaningfully, "She misses her father very much, and her father was a good man."

As soon as she finished speaking, Yuki clearly saw Shiki Ryougi's hand tremble slightly. Both of them had reached a very high level, so there was no need to guess what was going on.

The Yuki wasn't afraid of being baited Kokutou Mikiya. Judging from Mona's expression at the time, Kokutou Mikiya shouldn't be in the game.

After that brief moment of lapse in composure, Shiki Ryougi quickly regained her composure, her fingers stroking the teapot as if lost in nostalgia.

She didn't ask Yuki why he knew about Kokutou Mikiya. If the target being tracked by the Judge had no secrets, this wouldn't have happened.

Her dark eyes were calm, like moonlight revealing little emotion. After a brief silence, Shiki Ryougi gave a faint, almost imperceptible smile.

"Mr. Li, you are very honest."

"I've always been honest." Yuki a sigh of relief and looked at Mona, who was secretly making faces at him.

This is a test from a mother to her daughter's friend. In the eyes of a true strong person, kindness is nothing, or rather, countless wolves will take advantage of this vulnerability. The key is to be reliable and smart enough.

"Mr. Li, please have some tea."

Hearing this, Yuki finally smiled, took a sip of tea, and realized it wasn't some kind of nectar. The tea-making skills were decent, comparable to Kaguya's, but it was a bit sweet.

Could she have added her favorite Häagen-Dazs ice cream to her Japanese matcha?

Yuki thought maliciously as he heard a cold voice echo in his ears.

"You guessed right. Entering the Reincarnation Game means arriving in another world. Power and experience can increase, but some things cannot be forgotten. The longer you spend in the Reincarnation Game, the more easily you are corrupted, and before you know it, you have become a different kind of life form."

Yuki nodded. This was the theory of reincarnation erosion that he had discussed with Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and others. Memories of their hometowns faded away, and they found themselves in a completely new order, gradually becoming indistinguishable from the Reincarnation Game.

"Maintaining your original aspirations is indeed difficult. You're surrounded by like-minded people, and the painful memories from each instance can easily reshape a person. Of course, some players would rather reshape themselves and forget the pain of their homeland."

"Mr. Li, you haven't been a player for very long, have you?" Shiki Ryougi picked up her teacup and took a small sip.

"Yes, that's why I haven't forgotten my original intention. The Reincarnation Game is a nightmare for me."

"It seems you are very happy in your hometown, but as time goes by and your companions pass away one by one, you will eventually be absorbed into the Reincarnation Game."

These were harsh words, but Yuki couldn't refute them. He had only gone through six dungeons, and he had already changed somewhat. What if there were 60 dungeons? What if his seniors died one by one?

To turn evil—no, to put it Yuki— if Yuuki wants to continue surviving, she can only completely transform into a player.

Slaughter, plunder, strengthening—an endless cycle, like Muken hell, until the day of their demise.

Shiki Ryougi, observing the changes in the man's face, roughly determined which type of player this Mr. Li belonged to. In her eyes, all players fell into three categories:

Foolish people who drift with the tide; ambitious people who are blinded by power and obsessed with climbing higher and higher; and clear-headed people who try to escape the game in order to achieve complete liberation.

But that's impossible. Even I can only maintain my 'root' and not be assimilated by the game.

Shiki Ryougi sighed softly. She was, of course, the third type; her so-called power was less valuable than a glance at him.

"Mr. Li, do you want to know what the 'Lost Ones' are?"

"Well, to be precise, I want to see where the end of reincarnation is." Yuki made no attempt to hide her goal. Although Shiki Ryougi didn't say it explicitly, it revealed that she was of the same kind as him.

"Then you may be disappointed." Shiki Ryougi placed a golden piece of paper on the table and slowly ran two fingers over it. "Disclosing certain information at this stage will trigger game warnings and may even attract the Judge. You made the right choice in coming to me."

Does this mean that even if someone knows the information, they can't say it outright? Phew, thank goodness I didn't go after Iron Faith; Johnny Silverhand's influence would definitely be too much for him.

This golden piece of paper will surely come at a price. Ryougi Shiki is willing to pay it because of Mona's kindness and also because of the mutual respect Shiki Ryougi.

Yuki picked up the paper, glanced at it, raised an eyebrow, his lips twitched, and he subconsciously clenched his fist.

After overcoming countless difficulties and making numerous guesses, he finally obtained the ultimate answer from Shiki Ryougi by chance:

The Reincarnation Game has no end.

Chapter Eleven: The Road Ahead (7.5K)

The so-called Lost Ones are people from other factions who, after their fall, have fallen to the edge of the cycle of Reincarnation Game and become an object that should be excluded.

In the common parlance of players, the Lost Ones are players from other games; they are naturally hostile to players of the Reincarnation Game and are the kind of players who cannot cooperate.

No wonder the Witch God treats everyone equally and never considered trading with players; no wonder the Witch God's Soul Crystal has a strange description; no wonder He allowed me to possess a second bloodline skill.

To put it simply, the Witch God is a player in the Pantheon.

"Damn it, an endless nesting doll."

Yuki covered his head; this answer was far too cruel.

This Transcendental Grade world is unimaginably vast. Apart from individual players, there are countless other worlds. Many worlds come together to form factions, and various factions form Reincarnation Game. Beyond the Reincarnation Game, there are other games as well.

What a vast worldview it is, like the sands of the Ganges. Even the strongest individual is but a grain of sand within it. So what if you become the strongest in the Reincarnation Game? You will still be trapped in the Muken purgatory, never to be reborn.

No wonder I felt that the Reincarnation Game was a selection process after leaving the Demon Hospital. No wonder the Reincarnation Game wanted to sever everything in my hometown. It was all to cultivate the sharpest killing weapon.

'The "Reincarnators" mentioned by the Witch God must be the players who participate in the war representing the Reincarnation Game. It seems that mass-producing Reincarnators is the game's ultimate goal.'

What war to participate in, and why to Yuki neither knew nor cared to know. At this moment, he finally understood the essence of the Reincarnation Game.

This is not some perverse pleasure of torturing life, but a massive and complex selection process to create the most powerful weapon through the breeding of venomous insects.

These weapons must be valuable; they are the true core and treasure of the Reincarnation Game. Before this, all players were merely trying to become superior by eating smaller fish.

'This explains why there are no complete Trailblazers besides me. Even if someone completes the game in one life, they won't need Trailblazer privileges anymore; they'll shatter into countless pieces that will be inherited by the next person.'

'But why isn't there a single word from them within the Borderlands? This is different from going to the Outpost. The reincarnators must have turned into game forms, wouldn't it be better to bring some cannon fodder?'

Yuki suddenly noticed something suspicious, looked up, and saw Shiki Ryougi silently drinking tea.

"Is this never going to end?"

"At least I can't see the end in my sight." Shiki Ryougi shook her head slightly and sighed, "From the moment we became players, we had no future. It's either death or fighting to the very end. I think 'they' should be free."

"Nobody knows. It's like putting a carrot in front of you and making a donkey run forward like crazy—it's just a psychological comfort." Yuki gritted his teeth. No wonder he hadn't gotten any sense of how to escape the game since the very first instance.

No, from the moment you're pulled into the Reincarnation Game, you can only follow this path; you either perish halfway or reach the peak.

Despair to the point of suicide? Sorry, countless players die every second. The Reincarnation Game doesn't care why you die; even if it's one in a billion, it's just a matter of proportion.

"Feeling desperate?" Shiki Ryougi put down her teacup.

"A little, but I never had any expectations. I thought the Reincarnation Game would show some pity." Yuki shook his head. This result was expected. If it were Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, he would definitely be in despair. How could someone caught in the middle fight against a game that sets the script?

But I'm different. The strange Outpost, the game's relentless attempts to eliminate me, and the choices I faced after unlocking special abilities and the Bloodthirsty Red Moon...

Yuki now knows who is protecting him, who is fighting against him in the dimension of the Reincarnation Game, and can even guess His thoughts from some of the strange benefits at the Outpost.

Whether this is true or not, and whatever He may be planning, Yuki only knows that He is feared by the Reincarnation Game, which means both infinite risk and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Taiyi, He can resist the Reincarnation Game, this path will surely be successful.

Yuki straightened his back, finally changing Shiki Ryougi's indifferent gaze. As an extremely experienced epic-level player, many players with the same wish had come to him seeking the answer.

No matter how strong, how determined, or what their compelling desire to return might be, they all fell into despair after learning what the 'Lost Ones' were.

Like a whipped eggplant, the flame in their eyes was extinguished in an instant, and many perished in despair.

But he was different; why did he seem to have shaken off the gloom and become even more determined?

"You... have a way?" Shiki Ryougi couldn't help but ask, her eyes filled with a hint of fervor.

"It's not really a solution, it's just that I've strengthened my resolve." Yuki wasn't foolish enough to boast about how awesome he was, and said with a smile, "If the game doesn't provide a path, then you just have to find it yourself, right? You're a senior, so you must have some clues, right?"

It's a lie, but telling the truth on a first meeting would make you seem like a fool.

Shiki Ryougi was somewhat disappointed, but she also understood. Just as she had to rely on the Root to obtain information about the 'Lost Ones,' the Reincarnation Game existed in a higher dimension, and it was omnipresent.

It's normal for players to want to leave the game, but anyone who actually does it is going against the predetermined path of the Reincarnation Game. Isn't that what the Judge do?

"There are some clues, and I'd be happy to share them with you."

Oh, your attitude has changed.

Yuki raised an eyebrow. He knew that Shiki Ryougi had the ability to distinguish between truth and falsehood, and that her lie just now was intentional. Given Shiki's personality, she would certainly understand and would not rush to interrogate her.

She keenly spotted an opportunity and would naturally choose to cooperate. If Yuki truly had a crucial clue, she might even humble herself and ask the experienced driver to guide her.

The second piece of gold paper slid in front of him, Yuki glanced at it, his pupils shrinking sharply.

Many big shots may know the information about the Lost Ones, but this particular piece of Shiki Ryougi was definitely obtained by Ryougi Shiki through great difficulty and risk, and the content is quite simple.

"The Reincarnator was once the king of the Borderlands, but due to a certain event, he was isolated in a higher dimension. This event is known as the 'Great Cataclysm'."

"The game has erased all traces of the person who did this."

"I am searching for His legacy."

His eyes twitched slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and Yuki up his tea.