Chapter 402
They make all the important decisions, and normally there are Night Watchers watchmen on guard, but today there are only the five of them.
The Destiny of the Night Watchers, or rather the Destiny of the Dark Night Continent, will soon be decided, and it is impossible to persuade them with words alone.
Over the millennia, the Night Watchers has formed too many factions. The so-called members of the Supreme Council are merely representatives of these factions, and their personal likes and dislikes have no decisive effect. Yuki's first meeting with them, it is even less likely that he can play the emotional card.
He sat on the steps, a coffee in his hand. His entire script had been prepared beforehand, but the core message was singular—
Interests, blatant interests.
"Your threat level is indeed relatively low; at least none of you have been involved in too much crime." Klein crossed his arms, a prerequisite for the meeting. As for Yuki and Mona, that goes without saying, and Emiya, being experienced, knew when to back down.
Another prerequisite is that this person is very strong, but not ridiculously so, so that if there is any conspiracy, the Night Watchers can resist it.
"Yes, from the very beginning I never intended to profit from you," Yuki answered bluntly. He realized that the Night Watchers understood the players very well, clearly having learned many patterns from their predecessors.
They were unaware of the Reincarnation Game, but they knew very well that killing the Night Watchers would bring rewards.
"If I'm not mistaken, there are two ways to end the catastrophe. One is to Night's Minions, which means we will be wiped out; the other is to fundamentally solve the secrets of the night and kill the King of the Night, then the tide will naturally disappear."
"You've done your research thoroughly. The first method is the simplest, but also the most difficult. You want to use the Night Watchers as eyes, is that it?" Ms. Mofei said with a mocking expression, even though many players had already taken this path during this catastrophe.
"If that were the case, I wouldn't have come to see you. We could maintain a tacit understanding: you provide the intelligence, and I do the killing. Wouldn't that be simple?" Yuki shrugged and took a sip of his coffee. "That path won't work. I'm not the strongest henchman. The real powerhouses hide in the shadows and clean up the mess at the very end."
Yuki is very modest, which is true; he is not the strongest player, at least not now.
"Do you intend to take the other path?" Robertson adjusted his glasses, finally snapping out of his reverie. He wasn't concerned with the catastrophe, only with the secrets of the night.
"Yes, that's precisely why I disguised myself as Night Watchers to give you a chance to breathe."
"That's impossible!"
"We've spent a thousand years uncovering the secrets of the night, yet we haven't reached the core."
Several councilors shook their heads in unison, their eyes filled with apprehension or mockery. Finally, Erickson pressed down with both hands to end the argument.
"Let him tell you the reason. That girl, Funina, knows nothing about the secrets of the night."
Yuki's understanding of the Night Watchers came from Funina, but information is limited. Seeing the commander's probing gaze, Yuki silent for a moment.
"I only have some guesses, such as the secrets of the night, which you have studied quite extensively, but for some reason, you have been unable to get to the heart of the matter."
It's not hard to guess that no one responded.
"Hmm, or rather, the core issue is related to us. You've cooperated with my kind before, and either they couldn't do it, or they took the opportunity to cause trouble, making you wary and thinking that we can be used as weapons, but you need to keep a certain distance from the secrets of the night?"
Silence fell. All five councilors turned to look at Funina, who was standing by the door. The red-haired girl turned pale and quickly shook her head, indicating that she hadn't said it.
"Don't make things difficult for her. These are all just my guesses. To be honest, similar plots are not unfamiliar to us, and there are even more outrageous stories." Yuki crossed his legs, looking relaxed. "So, how many of my guesses were correct?"
The council members exchanged glances, but no one spoke. Yuki was about 70% right; the relevant records were in the core archives room beneath the tower.
That was a hundred years ago. The commander at the time defied all opposition and, while hunting with the players, also gathered trusted players to cooperate in an attempt to unravel the secrets of the night.
But they failed. Some players died in the Eternal Night, while others chose to betray their allies, seize the Lighthouse, and gain an advantage by fighting amongst themselves.
"I want to work with him," Robertson suddenly said, drawing disapproval from his colleagues.
"Haven't we learned our lesson yet? Cracking down on the secrets of the night is a pretense; seizing the Lighthouse is his true intention. He only wants to use the Night Watchers so they can kill each other," Ms. Mofei shouted sternly.
What is Lighthouse? Is it an upgraded version of the Night Torch?
Yuki raised an eyebrow and looked at Funina, who immediately lowered her head; she would never reveal such a highly confidential matter.
What is Lighthouse?
"Stop pretending. You've come here to cooperate, isn't it precisely because you want a 'Lighthouse'?" Mofei said sarcastically, causing Yuki to frown slightly, but he had no intention of arguing with her.
"Fine, even if I was faking it, in order to kill all the other players, you should hand over the 'Lighthouse' to me now. It doesn't conflict with those two paths."
Oh, this.
The woman opened her mouth, but then realized that the robber's logic made some sense, so she could only mutter, "We haven't agreed to cooperate yet."
It's outrageous that someone so old is still so arrogant.
Yuki ignored her and looked directly at Robertson: "Let me explain for this gentleman. Whether it's exploring the secrets of the night or fighting amongst ourselves, one must first be strong enough, and I am stronger than any of your collaborators in your records."
His words carried weight and authority—this was his most crucial asset. It was precisely because of his strength that he was able to turn the Battle of the Southern Plains. It was precisely because of his power that he dared to take the initiative to come here and sit down for coffee.
"Let me be frank, what you're worried about is a winner-takes-all scenario, because killing the Night Watchers is profitable, and you're afraid that I'll eliminate both my minions and you."
"Well, so how do you guarantee that?" Erickson asked, his interest growing stronger as he listened.
"No guarantees are needed, and I don't have time to let you slowly understand my personality. Oaths have absolutely no binding force, and character can change with the pursuit of profit."
Yuki stood up abruptly and paced around the middle of the hall.
"Interest, only interest is the strongest bond. Without me, you are just supporting characters on this stage. Everything depends on strength, and your strength is not enough to control the situation, so why should I make any guarantees for you?"
"Are you saying the weak don't deserve guarantees?" Motesen spoke for the first time, his fists clenched, his eyes extremely dangerous.
"No, to be precise, it's that the weak cannot uphold oaths. No matter how many oaths I make here, it's useless." Yuki looked back and suddenly spoke as the atmosphere became tense:
"But my enemies are other members of the same kind, and in that respect, we share the same interests. I will kill more of the Night's Minions for you, preventing cities from falling into destruction."
"I will avenge you. Apart from these few, no one else will join the plan. As enemies, death is the best end." Yuki looked at Ms. Mofei, then looked at each of them one by one.
"Robertson, I will help you uncover the secrets of the night. Our interests are aligned, for the night also seeks my demise, yet within the night lies boundless reward."
"Klein, I will not mobilize too many Night Watchers, lest your men die in vain."
He finally looked at Erickson, emphasizing his words.
"This war will be a victory led by the Night Watchers. Without the constraints of the Night, the Night Watchers will be freed from its shackles. At that time, the only Transcendental Grade power on the Dark Night Continent will be in your hands, and only the victors and the Transcendental Grade will have the right to establish a new continental order!"
After he finished speaking, the hall fell silent. Yuki did not give an inspiring speech, nor did he appeal to emotions, and he did not utter a single word about positive energy such as 'Justice' or 'peace'.
He simply presented the benefits to these oath-takers, radicals, conservatives, intellectuals, and ambitious individuals based on the data, telling them that by following him, each of them could benefit from this catastrophe.
Destruction represents rebirth, and catastrophe implies a new order.
'If the Night Watchers wins the war as the protagonist, freed from the constraints of darkness, he will be the sole possessor of Transcendental Grade power on the continent. How far will my power expand? Will I still need to maneuver between nations to secure even a tiny bit of supplies?'
Erickson's breathing became heavy. This was his long-cherished wish. What was the Night Watchers oath? What was the transnational organization? To put it bluntly, he was nothing more than a night watch dog.
Over the years, they only receive attention when a catastrophe strikes. On ordinary days, the Night Watchers are tasked with crafting Soul Lamp and patrolling in the lonely night. No matter how much money they amass, they can only wear black uniforms. No matter how many emotions they possess, they cannot marry or have children. Despite being Transcendental Grade beings, they have absolutely no power.
Did those nobles and the newly risen capitalists ever think of sharing the profits? No, they didn't. The daytime clamor had nothing to do with the Night Watchers; it belonged to another world.
He desperately wanted to make changes, but very few within the organization understood. The Oath faction, in particular, shrouded the identity of the Night Watchers in a sacred aura, and any mercenary thoughts were scorned.
As for external factors, why should you expect others to relinquish their interests? Any reform, no matter how small, will be met with resistance from both inside and outside the organization. If it weren't for this war, he wouldn't even have much say, let alone dare to take drastic measures, otherwise he would ruin the Night Watchers, and how would they survive the next catastrophe?
For a thousand years, we have suffered enough. As Transcendental Grade beings, we should be above the world; as guardians, we deserve reverence and reward.
But he maintained his last shred of rationality and coldly asked, "You still haven't said how to solve the winner-takes-all problem."
"Simple. Apart from Funina as the contact, I won't use a single Night Watchers, nor will I infiltrate them. The stakes are in your own hands; you can place your bets whenever you want."
What do you want?
"I still have intelligence and leads. I'll kill those the Night Watchers wouldn't dare, and I'll uncover the secrets the Night Watchers can't reach. The war might be lost, but you won't pay a single extra price. Isn't that advantageous enough?"
These conditions are too good. The Night Watchers can do nothing and preserve their strength. If Yuki wants to take all the spoils, they will still have the ability to resist. As for whether they can resist?
Do you think they'll succeed if we openly break off relations and start a war?
"I agree to cooperate." Erickson was the first to raise his hand. He had figured it out: Yuki would bear the risks, and he would take the benefits. As for the possibility of a winner-takes-all scenario, if he couldn't even take that risk, what kind of business would he be doing?
"I agree too." Motesen was the second to raise his hand. He didn't care as long as Yuki killed his henchmen. Even if the whole thing failed in the end, he could just pretend it never happened.
"I agree." Robertson also raised his hand. He knew all too well how powerful Eternal Night was; he wouldn't have come if Eternal Night's strength wasn't barely sufficient.
All their colleagues looked over. Mofei and Klein exchanged a glance, and whether they liked it or not, they both raised their hands.
"Agree."
"Mr. Raymond, you have unleashed a ferocious beast."
At the bottom of the tower, in the core data room, the bookshelves are densely packed with mountains of classified materials, and there is only one device.
The Soul Energy Pulverizer will obliterate all the data here if anyone forcibly enters, an obliteration that even time reversal cannot repair.
Yuki sat in his recliner, reading through a thick stack of documents at a glance. Upon hearing this, he gently closed the book and looked at the white-haired hero.
"Emiya, don't you think the order here is distorted? Transcendental Grade don't enjoy many resources and can only guard the darkness in solitude."
"This was decided by the oath and the night."
"That's true, and I won't go into who's right or wrong." Yuki picked up another book, sat up a little straighter, and said, "But wild beasts can't be caged. They will break free sooner or later, because strength and weakness can never be changed."
The Night Watchers has begun to break its oath, amassing wealth across the land, with some even turning to banditry. Conflict with ordinary people is bound to erupt sooner or later.
Every cataclysm is a purification process. True idealists die quickly, and those who remain have their own agendas. When conflicts erupt and the Night Watchers splits, the next cataclysm will likely leave them without even a supporting role.
"If the darkness is resolved, the Night Watchers will become meaningless. Such a large group of Transcendental Grade can't just retire to the countryside. They'll fight amongst themselves and decide on a final victor, who will most likely be Erickson."
"Why?" Mona poked her little head out.
"Because oaths can't guarantee a life of luxury, idealists can't beat ambitious people, and besides, without the night, there are no oaths." Yuki said casually, already thinking about what would happen after the dungeon ended.
"A new order is bound to emerge, and the process is often accompanied by iron and blood. What I have done is simply to establish the order smoothly, and that is true benevolence."
"So you want to help Erickson completely control the Night Watchers?" Emiya raised an eyebrow.
"It's mutual help. I help him achieve his ambitions, and he helps me clear the dungeon. Whether he can control the situation afterward is none of my business."
Seeing Yuuki Yuki with ease, Emiya shut his mouth. He was no longer a champion of Justice; he was simply filled with bewilderment.
Where did Artoria find these monsters? This is more than just a matter of players.
Strength is only one aspect of ability; what's most terrifying about this person is his ability to grasp the core contradictions, while Mona keeps calling him "brother, brother," making him feel like his captain is somewhat like Clown.
What happened to Valhalla being supposed to be in charge? Why is this guy giving all the orders?
"Can you really unlock the secrets of the night?"
"It's not certain we can succeed, but we're working on it." Yuki waved the documents in his hand, documents representing the Night Watchers's thousand-year exploration.
Every player wants it, but they can't reach that point; no matter how hard they try, they only get a few words.
Yuki was different; he spent a week laying the groundwork and then surpassed everyone else's progress in just three days.
It turns out that above the sky lies Eternal Night, a vast and boundless expanse where even powerful Soul Lamp cannot remain for long before being devoured by the endless monsters of darkness.
The only entrance is in the Night Capital, or rather, in the 'Lighthouse,' the secret weapon held by the Night Watchers that can unleash a powerful light, illuminating the path through the darkness and leading people into the Eternal Night.
As for what lies within the Eternal Night, no one knows, because no one can reach the end. The deeper one goes into the tunnel formed by the Lighthouse, the stronger the encroachment of the night becomes, and the final stretch can only be traversed by force.
The King of the Night awaits there. Six Level 1 Night Watchers failed. A hundred years ago, an exploration team composed of more than a dozen player factions also failed. Yuki estimates that only veteran Monster IV players can penetrate deep enough to truly solve the problem; an epic-level player is required.
"Mr. Raymond, I have a question. Why haven't any players gone to the heavens to eliminate the King of the Night?" Illya raised her hand; she still remembered hint five.
[Tip 5: The King of the Night will watch every player, seeking a target to hunt. He will only appear in the night and will only die in the Eternal Night.]
Above the heavens lies Eternal Night, King of the Night can be killed.
"Because they won't come out easily. A lowly soldier can easily crush you. Why take the risk? Didn't you notice that being dragged into the darkness will attract attention?"
"You mean, the King of the Night is choosing his targets?"
"It should be. Every time it gets dragged into the night, it gets watched even more closely. Once the player's strength is pretty much revealed, it will jump out. This ability is really useful." Yuki looked on with envy. He only makes a move when he's 100% sure of success. He's a really good cunning old fox.
Besides, the King of the Night is immortal under the heavens, so it doesn't matter if he gets tricked or mishaps occasionally.
"How was the Lighthouse able to do that?" Homura Akemi's voice was cold.
"Most likely, even Eternal Night has an end, just like an ocean with a seabed. The Lighthouse can form a tunnel, allowing people to get as close to the seabed as possible, and the King of the Night should prevent people from touching the seabed."
Yuki deduced this from Shiki Ryougi's mission. Since it's a legacy, someone will protect it, and who in the dungeon is more suitable than the King of the Night? This is also why he's so focused on pushing through the dungeon.
That makes sense. Even if we don't explore the Eternal Night, this Lighthouse is still very significant.
More information has now been revealed: the 'daylight' within the Tide has shrunk to 6 hours and is heading towards Eternal Night. Once the poison circle covers the entire continent, all players will die in the darkness.
Having Lighthouse means being invincible; you don't even need to lift a finger, just wait for the darkness to kill everyone else.
"Looks like everyone wants this Lighthouse. Why don't they team up and take down the Night Watchers?" Mona blinked. This was top secret, but even Funina knew it, so it wasn't really a secret anymore.
"Because whoever gets it will become the target of everyone's hatred. If I were Erickson, I would find an opportunity to give the Lighthouse to that epic player, and then just watch the players fight it out."
Wow, how insidious! Thank goodness this bastard isn't Night Watchers.
Many people swallowed hard. Yuki was similar to Erickson, but he was definitely ten times more ruthless and meticulous.
He will indeed reveal the Lighthouse's location, launch a fierce defense, cause the Night Watchers to suffer a narrow defeat, and then spread the news, cooperating with every player.