Chapter 365
"Gentlemen, let's introduce ourselves. We'll be fighting side by side later." As the host, Zuo Qianhu naturally sat in the empty chair at the head of the table. He then waved his hand, conjuring a sixth chair out of thin air at the far left.
As soon as the words were spoken, the six players leading the team, including Yuki, looked at each other. Since they were not very familiar with each other, the atmosphere was quite awkward. Finally, a boy in a blue combat suit stood up and scratched his head sheepishly.
"Well then, I'll start. Saito Hiraga, from 'Aether Particles'. Nice to meet you all."
He looked a bit green, but it was a good disguise. Anyone sitting here must be a seasoned veteran, at least Monster III level or higher. It would be a miracle if you actually believed this boy's appearance.
Is Saito Hiraga from the Familiar of Zero? What kind of hodgepodge is this 'Aether Particles'? Come to think of it, he's kind of like me, also a transmigrator.
Yuki glanced at him, feeling an inexplicable sense of closeness, and then remembered it, thinking it might come in handy later.
Once someone starts, even the most socially awkward person won't remain silent forever. The second person to stand up was an extremely beautiful silver-haired girl with red eyes as beautiful as jewels.
"Skadi, the Deep Sea Hunters."
Her voice was clear, like a siren's song, attracting admiring glances from many players. Then, they saw a short-haired girl with a halo above her head, looking like an angel, step forward.
"Sorry, sorry, actually we are from the 'Demi-Human World'."
"But I am Deep Sea Hunters," Skadi, somewhat confused.
"They're asking about your faction name, Titi, you'd better keep quiet."
Demi-Human World? That's quite fitting.
Yuki saw this group of beast-eared girls. The one sitting on the back was Skadi, the little orca; the short-haired girl was Exusiai; and there was also a fake the Emperor with horse ears peeking out from the crowd.
The most obvious examples are Arknights and Uma Musume, which are quite interesting.
Next up was a handsome blond young man wearing a baseball cap. He chewed gum and blew a bubble.
"Fighter, Terry Bogard."
Oh, the King of the King of Fighters guys, I've crossed paths with them in the Wizard's Tower. The guy with the broom-shaped hair behind him is Guile from Street Fighter, and the one in the armor is the Sword Saint from Tekken, right?
The fourth person was dressed in a rather friendly outfit, a high school uniform similar to that of Mai Sakurajima. With her long golden hair and beautiful figure, if it weren't for her star-like pupils, one might mistake her for someone from 'Thorny Rose'.
"Hello, I'm Misaki Shokuhou, the 'Espers'. Everyone, don't be so serious. We're all friends of the Demon Extermination Squad, so in a way, we're all friends."
Her voice was soft and sweet, and as she spoke, her eyes were fixed on Yuki, showing that she had excellent intuition and could tell who the strongest player here was.
Espers, indeed, but unfortunately I didn't see Misaka Mikoto, and it wasn't appropriate to ask her.
Yuki ignored her, but admitted she was right. These players, a motley crew, came for various reasons, but were essentially allies of the Demon Extermination Squad.
The fifth woman was a mature, sophisticated woman in black stockings and a red dress. She had a stunning figure, and her eyes were as sweet as honey, captivating all who saw her. In fact, Yuki was immediately drawn to her long, black-stockinged legs as soon as she entered, because she was both incredibly beautiful and incredibly alluring.
She rose gracefully, pressed one hand to her chest, and said in a sweet, cloying voice:
"The Anthropomorphic Front, I am Taihou, please guide me."
The legendary Taihou, her arousal level is an order of magnitude higher than Misaki Shokuhou's, but unfortunately she's a yandere, not someone to mess with.
Yuki immediately realized that his senior's worries were not unreasonable. As his strength increased, his circle became more and more high-end, and he had more and more acquaintances. He could talk about any of the people present for days, and there were also many 2D wives that made gentlemen dream of them.
No, I need to be rational and focus on the battle.
Yuki immediately realized that his thoughts had gone astray as soon as they appeared, so he focused his attention and tried to think purely from the player's perspective.
Let's not even mention the players standing behind them. Those who have a spot are all team leaders, with strength at least Monster III. Characters like Exusiai and Guile are also quite strong. Even strangers are at least Monster I level.
With an average of six people per team, plus the 'Ghost Hunter', there are a total of six factions and 36 monster-level players. This strength is more than enough to push through epic dungeons.
Yuki had never seen so many powerful players gathered together. Although the Reincarnation Game had countless worlds and countless players, reaching the monster level was considered quite an achievement.
At this moment, all eyes were on him, some with curiosity, some with indifference, and some with blank stares. None of the players here were fools, and no one dared to underestimate Yuki, who only had two people.
The combination of a young man and a loli is strange. With the use of skills like telepathic communication, their eyes also become odd. It seems that some players have recognized Mena Ryougi.
The fact that this black-haired youth could be accompanied by a 'princess' from Valhalla suggests he must possess some skill. Furthermore, the fact that he could detect traces of disguise further suggests that he is some powerful figure from Valhalla.
"The Head Hunters, Li Dan." Yuki a surge of satisfaction in his heart, but remained outwardly calm and collected.
Huh? He's not from Valhalla?
Their gaze became even stranger.
Now, everyone looked at Yomi Isayama. Being stared at by so many powerful players, the girl was a little nervous, but she still nodded in confirmation.
In the Wizard's Tower, that's how Yuki introduced himself. He passed the item test back then, and the Demon Extermination Squad certainly noticed something was wrong, but they couldn't trace it back to its source.
Head Hunters? Li Dan? I've never heard of him.
Everyone knew, of course, that the Demon Extermination Squad wouldn't lie, and many people became interested, even Skadi, who had been in a daze, had her eyes sparkling.
She had a vague feeling that this Mr. Li would shine brightly and make a name for himself in the Borderlands.
"Alright, our job is simple: just wait here. Once we receive a signal from our senior, I will escort you all to the Outpost." Yomi Isayama clapped her hands, drawing everyone's attention.
"Please feel free to ask any questions you may have, but please note that you cannot log out at this point."
"Hi, I have a question." Misaki Shokuhou immediately raised her right hand, which was covered by a white silk glove, and asked with a smile, "If it's too dangerous, we can back out, right?"
"Of course, the Demon Extermination Squad will do everything in its power to cover your retreat. Those evil spirits don't want to antagonize you either, so the chances of them chasing you are very small."
These words were quite reassuring. Come to think of it, there are players from seven factions here, and each faction has epic-level powerhouses. Only a madman would hunt them down, and even if they were to settle scores later, they would have to be selective about who they target.
"If we fail, will we still get the item?" Terry Bogard then asked, immediately drawing several concerned glances.
"Of course we will. As long as the Demon Extermination Squad isn't completely wiped out, we will definitely pay the commission as agreed." Yomi Isayama was very calm. Even close brothers should keep clear accounts. The factions present had all formed friendships in the dungeon and become allies after being tested, but they couldn't let others help them for free.
Thinking of this, she looked at the boy again. "Mr. Hiraga, you haven't said what you want yet."
"No need for repayment. I'm just repaying the favor you did for saving Louise. She's more important to me than any prop," Saito Hiraga replied in a deep voice, clearly very grateful.
"Your chivalrous spirit is truly admirable." Zuo Qianhu immediately clapped his hands.
"Of course, of course."
Really? We all owe the Demon Extermination Squad a favor, but favors are favors, and business is business.
Taihou glanced sideways, but couldn't detect any feigned emotions. Besides, would 'Aether Particles' really have such a kind-hearted player?
She raised her long, slender eyebrows and nudged Yuuki, who was sitting deep in Yuki: "Mr. Li, do you think this is true or false?"
"Really, he didn't hide anything." Yuki nodded with a smile; only he wouldn't have any doubts.
For Louise, this young man dared to take on an army of 100,000 single-handedly.
"Huh, you know him?"
"Nice to meet you."
Are you still so sure?
Taihou found it even stranger; this person was like being shrouded in a thick fog, and her 'emotional radar' couldn't detect anything. She couldn't help but lick her rosy lips.
"Then why do you want to?"
"It's all about human relationships." Yuki his eyes straight ahead, for turning his head would draw his gaze into the Abyss Grade, silently adding to himself:
It's just that the Demon Extermination Squad owes me.
He realized that he was Taiyi from the other players. Satoru Gojo's strategy was to punish evil and promote good, which would naturally offend one group of people and win over another group. Based on this, he would use items or points to ask people for help.
However, it was Yuki who saved them inside the Wizard's Tower. No wonder he offered the most generous terms. If Yuki were greedy enough, he could have taken all the spoils.
He's a strange person; I can't detect his emotions, but he's definitely not like Saito Hiraga.
Taihou grew increasingly curious and turned halfway around, her towering breasts sinking rapidly against the armrest. But before she could speak, Ryougi Mena Ryougi, who had been standing obediently, shifted half a step to the side, watching her warily.
Don't do anything reckless.
"Hehe, so Mr. Li likes this type." Taihou chuckled, drawing out her words. "We have quite a few destroyers; you're welcome to come and visit."
What the hell is this destroyer? I've already said I'm into mature women.
Yuki didn't look at her, closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. He suddenly felt that having Mena Ryougi with him was a good thing, as it could cut off a lot of harassment.
Take this Taihou for example. She seems very lewd, but actually... well, she is indeed very lewd, and more importantly, she's a yandere.
The battle has begun, and no one is allowed to leave in order to maintain secrecy. The wait has become very boring. Fortunately, the 'Ghost Hunter' were prepared in advance, and some paper figures brought drinks and food. Apart from leaving the hall, we can do whatever we want.
Players at this stage have lost all sense of tension; they're all seasoned veterans. These kinds of intervention missions, which can be exited, are much safer than dungeons, so the atmosphere quickly becomes relaxed.
With Yuki and the other player from eight different factions gathered together, and unlike in dungeons where players have to scheme against each other, it's the perfect time to chat, or rather, exchange information, especially since there are several guild leaders among them.
"Hey, are you really just going to act cool here?" Mona stared expectantly as Exusiai baked an apple pie on the spot, emitting a rich aroma, and boasted about how many dungeons she had collected materials from in order to bake a 'god-level' apple pie.
"Observe and listen more, participate less, and prepare for battle while you're at it." Yuki was actually itching to get involved; who wouldn't want to chat with Titi a bit more and then touch the Uma Musume's ears?
But he has to maintain his public image. One of his purposes in participating in this battle is to make his presence felt. In addition, he also has to extract his special ability at the last minute.
The keywords 'battle type' and 'continuous battle' have been set. After the trait is upgraded to LV4, the randomness is reduced and the practicality is greatly increased. Just as Mona was complaining, the new Craft Essence was drawn.
[Equipment: Killer's Book]
[After activation, strength increases by 1% for each enemy of Transcendental Grade level or above killed, stacking up to 30 times. One layer is lost every ten minutes, lasting for four hours.]
Yuki smiled, a somewhat cruel smile. The LV4 ability was indeed a qualitative change; he was finally able to control the ability and draw the appropriate Mystic Codes according to the situation.
It's like having a level 6 item with no side effects for four hours, but unfortunately, you have to kill people continuously.
Based on this, a new battle plan quickly took shape. Giving up halfway was an unavoidable option. After seeing this complex network of relationships, he was even more eager to Demon Extermination Squad a favor.
Even if we encounter 'Demi-Human World' or 'Espers' in the dungeon, we can still cooperate based on this relationship, right?
"Your smile is so creepy, you must be up to no good again." Mona shivered, her eyes darting around. "By the way, I did a pretty good job, didn't I? I made you look good."
A master needs a foil. Yuki was indeed alone, but behind him stood a Monster III player, the princess of Valhalla. No wonder Taihou shamelessly tried to get close to him.
"Hmm, not bad, at least they didn't hold me back."
"Then let's sign it."
"Get out of the way, write your will first, stating that you wanted to come along. If your mother wants revenge, she can call in the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons."
Mona pouted, her teeth itching with hatred.
"Are you kidding me? I'm the one who signed the contract to sell myself into servitude. Why are you so unwilling?" With a snort, she went straight to Exusiai to ask for an apple pie.
Are you angry?
Yuki didn't care what Mona thought; he was just hoping she would leave as soon as possible. If something happened to her, his newly found important business partner would fall through. Shiki Ryougi Satoru Gojo.
Next, we'll leak Li Dan's and Head Hunters's names. The Hundred Eyes of True Knowledge will definitely follow the trail, using their Transcendental Grade abilities to pinpoint the connection, and will soon conclude that I have nothing to do with Thorny Rose.
Seeing the bustling crowd, Yuki opened his palm, revealing the first telegram. At that very moment, the senior's team had entered the instance.
[Void Temple]? All the players are gathered together, oh, War Orphans are here too, lucky me, this creates an alibi.
Yuki is now terrified of having direct contact with her seniors. If they're always together in dungeons, even a fool would know where to start. Her greatest advantage is 'nothingness,' allowing her to connect with any faction.
"Is Mr. Li so reclusive? Doesn't he get to know his teammates before the battle?"
A sweet, cloying voice rang out, and Yuki knew who it was without turning around, secretly rolling her eyes.
Get out of here, you women! There can't be two suns in the sky. I promised my senior I would be an honest man.
In the Reincarnation Game, gender is meaningless; even Frieren went through a long period of trials before integrating into the team.
"What's up?"
He turned his head and stared blankly at Misaki Shokuhou, making the latter's scalp tingle and prompting her to scratch her cheek.
"Uh, am I that scary?"
"Why are you looking for me? You probably don't need anyone else to chat with, right?"
"Because you're strong. I'll need you to protect me during the battle later, so of course I need to get closer to you. Besides, I feel like you and I are somewhat similar, but I can't quite put my finger on it."
Could it be related to Aohi? Tokiwadai also has similar tags.
Yuki seemed to understand something, and patiently asked, "If you're afraid of dying, why did you participate?"
"Because the risk is lower and the reward is higher than in a dungeon. Actually, these kinds of intervention battles are not uncommon. When the conflict between a faction becomes irreconcilable, they will call in outside help when the conditions are right." Misaki Shokuhou seemed very experienced, like a professional mercenary.
"It's just that the Demon Extermination Squad is too cautious, only inviting their most reliable allies. Otherwise, if both sides openly seek outside help, it will turn into a cross-faction war."
"Cross-faction war?" Yuki immediately became interested; he enjoyed hearing stories about the Borderlands.
"Yes, it's a war involving many factions. Actually, we often visit each other on ordinary days, since the threshold for invitations is quite low." Misaki Shokuhou her pizza, with strands of cheese sticking to her lips.
Therefore, only the Thorny Rose is truly isolated, because no player has access to it.
"The last 'Forgotten Hidden Jianghu' battle was fierce. Dozens of factions charged in and wrecked their Outpost." Misaki Shokuhou, noticing Yuki's interest, paused deliberately. "Do you know why it was so brutal?"
"Why?"