Chapter 411
Secondly, 13 players fled from the Central Battle. These players were seriously injured, and the Slothful Bishop gained control of the narrative.
Thirdly, after being eliminated by the Dark Night Tide, only two lights remain, and the number of people inside is unknown.
Fourth, the remaining jungle players are now in a clear situation and will soon have to make a choice; no matter which faction they join, they will all be cannon fodder.
Yuki cares about the third type of player, which consists of at least 2 and at most 6 people, one of whom has collected a large number of powerful Soul Lamp and must be an epic-level player.
He glanced at the two torches in his hands, which shone brightly in the night. After returning to Night Capital, he also figured out the way forward.
The Lighthouse will illuminate the Eternal Night; the rest of the journey is unknown, but only this torch can provide the light, or perhaps a large number of kills will make the Soul Lamp bestowed by the game shine bright enough.
The former is simpler, while the latter easily becomes a target of public criticism. Therefore, the Nameless King doesn't care about killing each other and focuses all his efforts on collecting 'airdrops'.
Two lamps are definitely not enough, but without these two, they still wouldn't be enough.
Yuki doesn't know who the enemy is, nor how many torches are needed, and Repulsion from the Nameless King's persistence, they must be approaching the critical point.
When will we take the final step?
He looked into the distance. The Dark Night Tide was still rapidly receding tonight, covering almost half of the Central Plains. Tens of millions of people were crammed into this small area, trembling as they awaited the judgment of the night.
This also includes junglers. As losers, most of them don't get their Soul Lamp replenished, some won't even make it through the night, and half of them won't make it through tomorrow night.
Yuki knew better than anyone what would happen if the lights went out, and the next airdrop wouldn't come for another day or two; he'd probably risk his life to snatch it.
Let's play it safe and eliminate a few more players? Then we can strike immediately and catch him off guard.
Yuuki gently patted his thigh with his fingers, Yuki at the players around him. As victors, the Soul Lamp on each of their chests shone brightly, each ray of light originating from the heads of their fellow victors.
Everyone held their breath, as if they could see the man making a choice. As before, they didn't need to think too much; they just had to obediently follow orders.
Nearby are the players' lights, and in the distance is the terrifying Dark Night Tide. Every piece of information is filtered through the brain, calculating countless possibilities.
Just then, a surge of energy welled up from the depths of his soul, telling him that the king had finally 'spoken'.
Half a minute later, Yuki made up his mind.
"Let's go see Mr. Robertson."
Chapter Nineteen: Survival Instinct Will Make the Right Choice!
"I have never wished so much that you were a true Night Watchers."
In the highest council chamber, Erickson twirled his gemstone ring, a wry smile on his face as if he had just realized something.
The five Level 1 Night Watchers were just spectators, so of course they knew how terrifying the Central Battle was. Now, looking back, they finally understood why Yuki wouldn't let them get involved, why he offered such generous terms, and why he didn't investigate the Lighthouse.
Because it's not necessary.
Without uttering a single word or doing anything extra, he completed the conquest with the life of Nameless King. Facts speak louder than words, and efficiency surpasses any amount of rhetoric.
The Night Watchers didn't understand what an epic player was, but he wasn't blind either. In just one day, the young man sitting on the steps had become something else entirely.
He used to be an uncontrollable collaborator who required constant vigilance, but now he is in control and can skip tedious negotiation processes.
There is no room for doubt; we must firmly believe that he will uncover the deepest secrets of the night, because—
The only one who can defeat the King of the Night is another King of the Night.
Monster IV versus Epic – even if Yuki's progress reaches 99%, that one percent difference represents everything. It can not only take the life of the Nameless King, but also make the Night Watchers submit.
Emiya and the others then realized why Yuki had stopped them from conducting a secret investigation and instead focused all their firepower on the players.
Because it's not necessary.
Using force to subdue the enemy, the Night Watchers had no idea what kind of quest it was; all they needed to know was that their collaborator was a 'King of the Night' who was willing to help them explore the Night.
"My identity is not an issue; only power and force field can explain everything. Now that 90% of the Night's Minions have fallen, we can turn back and move on to the mission. Do you have any further questions?"
The five Night Watchers exchanged glances, then shook their heads in unison. What was there to ask? Worried about a 'winner-takes-all' scenario? Sorry, Yuki really wanted to do it, no one could stop him.
"This is the Lighthouse's information, the Night Watchers's top secret." Robertson tremblingly took out a document from his pocket. He was very excited; the pursuit of countless generations of predecessors could finally be realized in his hands.
Just as he chose to agree back then, breaking the curse of the night requires strength. Yuki had the opportunity then, but now he has the absolute right.
Funina took the booklet, feeling its immense weight. All her past shame vanished, for the Night Watchers's Watch oath—not marrying or having children—was nothing compared to the first rule: to destroy the night.
She straightened her back, feeling that she had been fulfilling her vow, surpassing any hero in history.
"Please read this." The red-haired girl lowered her head and raised her hands high, a scene that left the other players speechless.
Carried by Robertson at all times, ready to self-annihilate his soul, he is more like a guardian. It is extremely difficult to steal or snatch from him, but as Yuki said, there is no need to do such unnecessary things.
A true strong person is one who can make others willingly offer themselves up, fearing only that you won't look.
Yuki saw the burning passion in the girl's eyes. The princess was now completely subdued, and he had even achieved absolute control over her emotions.
He suddenly found it somewhat amusing. How proud and stubborn was Funina? Had she really given in so easily?
I did nothing, nor did I need to do anything.
The resulting booklet, when gently flipped through, contained few words, yet contained all the information about the Lighthouse, as well as the Night Watchers's experiences venturing into the Eternal Night several times.
His face kept showing expressions of 'I see,' and as he pondered, he began to quickly revise his plan.
The Lighthouse isn't hard to find; it's buried deep underground in this headquarters. Any player with a modicum of intelligence would know it. But figuring out how to activate it is the tricky part.
The Night Watchers headquarters is a fortress, guarded by tens of thousands of people. Night Capital epic-level players would have to lose a couple of teeth if they came.
"So, to complete the main storyline, a powerful Soul Lamp is not only an important condition, but also the only qualification."
The Dark Night Tide will cover the entire continent in four days. At the same time, Eternal Night will descend. Yuki already knows that the ratio of day to night within the Dark Night Tide has changed from 12 hours to 12 hours to 3 hours to 21 hours.
When the last ray of light from the day fades, isn't that Eternal Night?
The world will be destroyed as a result, and even the Night Watchers will not be able to hold on. Of course, they are not too afraid, because the civilians and players without powerful Soul Lamp will be the first to collapse.
The lights will be dazzling then, making a decisive battle inevitable.
Therefore, the Lighthouse must be activated, as it is the safest place during the Eternal Night, and all players must enter the Lighthouse.
"Then the Lighthouse's beam of light is more like a portal, transporting those who enter to a special space. That area isn't large; it's located closest to the night?"
"Yes, the minimum requirement to enter the Afterglow Space is a Level 1 Night Watchers. Going any further requires brute force. For example, the torch in your hand will be watched by the King of the Night." Robertson explained, knowing that with his Monster 3 strength, he wouldn't last more than two steps before being swallowed by the darkness.
All those who enter will go to the Afterglow Space, meaning the remaining players either have to wait to die or will inevitably run into each other.
Want to team up to conquer the King of the Night?
Impossible. There's no trust between players, and I won't give them any chance to touch the 'legacy'.
"There are still a few days left, and the situation in the instance is still uncertain. Who will benefit when the Eternal Night descends?" Yuki lowered his head. Saving the world was only Little Ichi of his goal; his primary objective was to win.
The Slothful Bishop and his group will surely seize a powerful Soul Lamp, as it is essential for their survival when the Eternal Night descends.
The one with the Dark Night Tide has the biggest advantage because they made preparations in advance and stockpiled too many lights, so they can outlast the others.
The minimum requirement for the Lighthouse is a level 1 Night Watchers, which is equivalent to a Monster III player. It's impossible for Yuki to bring 1,000 Night Watchers to stand guard and watch from above.
According to Morrison's battle plan, all Night Watchers will hold their headquarters, allowing them to attack the King of the Night without any worries. By the time the players break through their defenses, they will be at their last gasp.
It's a very safe and steady battle; after all, the Eternal Night won't wipe out the continent anytime soon, so it's a bit like a battle of attrition.
No, not to mention that the players' methods are beyond our expectations and they can't hold it. All my previous arrangements will be wasted, and those two sides will definitely join forces to launch a strong attack on the Lighthouse.
More importantly, I couldn't kill the King of the Night. The reason is simple: he only has two powerful Soul Lamp, which is far from enough. At the very least, he would need at least nine to cut off his own escape route.
This crucial information also originated from the Nameless King; Yuki himself couldn't remember how many times this king had eaten.
[Slayer Quest]
[Hint 1: To complete the subjugation mission, you must confront the King of the Night and achieve at least 20% participation; failure to do so will result in elimination.]
[Hint 2: The closer we get to the End of Eternal Night, the weaker the King of the Night becomes]
[Hint 3: Initially obtain a powerful Soul Lamp]
[Hint 4...]
The rest could not be heard from the remnant soul, Yuki guessed it was something like Slayer must not attack each other, hunt players for rewards, and must not reveal Slayer missions.
Hint 3 has been confirmed. Hints 1 and 2 are very important. Based on the strength of the expedition team, the King of the Night should normally be Epic II and have the advantage of playing on home ground.
I must venture as far into the darkness as possible, but even if I gather all the lights from others, I can't go very far.
Yuki was unusually troubled. He considered dividing the inheritance, but that was a last resort, unrelated to greed. The inheritance concerned 'Taiyi,' and what if the Judge took notice?
Hint 1, Hint 1.
This is a restriction on the Slayer; otherwise, they would be cheating and could easily win everything.
Yes.
Yuki's eyes lit up, and Mona behind him also became excited. Such a complicated situation was indeed no challenge for him.
"The plan has been revised. The Night Watchers no longer need to stay at headquarters. Focus on evacuating the residents of Night Capital. I won't stop any of you from coming, but those Night Watchers don't need to participate."
"You want to release the Lighthouse and let the Night's Minions in?" Erickson was more than happy to oblige. He wanted to build a new era of order, and at this point, he had to find a way to survive.
"Make a deal? Aren't you afraid they'll betray you?" Morrison stroked his mustache. Gathering all his henchmen to take down the King of the Night was one way, but the problem was that they were sworn enemies.
Yuki didn't explain. Of course, he was afraid of being betrayed, and he didn't want to share the inheritance, but he needed to build a stage and invite the actors onto it.
The Slayer come. He needs 20% participation. If Yuki directly, wouldn't he be stuck with both kings and die feeling frustrated? Of course, he can also gamble that the King of the Night will kill Yuki and he can reap the benefits.
But the question is, how many years and how much hardship would it take for a player to advance to Epic rank? Would he dare to gamble on it?
Robertson didn't know anything about the Slayer. After thinking about it, he felt that Mr. Raymond still had a high probability of uniting the Night's Minions, since at this point, the choices were very limited.
When should the Lighthouse be turned on?
Yuki was toying with a gold fountain pen, refining his plan, or rather, the plan required a series of coincidences and details.
For example, the order in which they enter the Lighthouse, or whether that incredibly patient, epic-level player dares to go all in.
He had anticipated this, and after glancing at the two numbers flashing on the panel, he stood up.
Tomorrow evening.
"The Nameless King and the Night Watchers joined forces to wipe out most of the players, and the surviving players went into hiding under the leadership of the Sloth Bishop of the 'Aether Particles'?"
"Hehehe, how come I've never heard of such an interesting script before?"
The tide was pitch black, with only the scattered Soul Lamp flickering like candles in the wind. Before Mirror Lake, the light of several torches was particularly intense, illuminating a large area of the mountain.
A woman with long green hair and dressed in a white robe was propping her head up, looking at the monster in front of her with a bored expression.
It was once a person, or rather a player, but the strong body had been transformed into a bunch of twisted tentacles, which could barely function as vocal cords as they recounted the details of the battle.
Biological modification, turning even the soul into a puppet—this player couldn't possibly be lying, but the story itself is unbelievable enough.
Logically, there's no problem with that. The Night Watchers has spent thousands of years researching the secrets of the night, and we need their power to solve the main plot. But in the woman's eyes, the Night Watchers is too weak and too slow. She thinks that the secrets of the night are something she can figure out in just over ten days.
The key item is just the Lighthouse; the Night Watchers herself is worthless. She has ample time to hide in the tides and accumulate power, waiting for those foolish mortals to decide the victor.
She only needs to collect another key item, the 'Powerful Soul Lamp,' and integrate the power within the tides to complete the mission easily and effortlessly.
Self-destruction? That's something only beasts do. Why should I fight these fools? Since the mission is to defeat the King of the Night, then the Night Watchers and the players are just distractions. The best way is to make the distractions perish together.
The plan was quite pleasant; researching the native inhabitants of the dungeon was more worthwhile than fighting. However, this plan encountered an unexpected setback 10 hours ago.
A massive battle erupted, the number of players dwindled rapidly, and the Nameless King did not return.
"That idiot has fallen. How many times have I told you not to be greedy, just focus on the extermination. I finally managed to get this mission after a lot of trouble." The woman gently touched her long hair, revealing a golden earring, and looked at the two people in the distance.
"Don't be nervous, you two. Taking your lamps now won't do you much good. I need to find out who's plotting this behind the scenes."
"Hmm, judging from his intelligence, it was an epic-level player who ambushed the Nameless King, who might even be that special-level Night Watchers."
A hundred meters away, a man as shrewd as a shark and a swordsman with sharp eyes stood side by side, battling the Dark Night Tide with only a torch.
They couldn't help but be tense; a single lamp meant the battle was impossible to win. Fortunately, the woman's lamp was bright enough that if a fight broke out, they would fight with all their might in close combat.
Nindo Group Kisame, a member of the 'Ninja Way Clan,' sensed the danger of this instance after his teammates perished outside Rosen City, so he simply hid in the Tide. Hawkeye, Ocean's Chosen,' thought the same way, believing that the Tide was the best way to isolate the hunters, so they formed an alliance.
This was an alliance of two veteran Monster IV players, whose strength was enough to dominate the dungeon. Who knew that there were two monsters lurking in the tide? Seeing that things were not going well, they immediately knelt down.
As it turned out, their deaths were timely, because all the players hiding in the tide with the same idea died. Compared to the Nameless King's storm, this woman was even more terrifying, because death did not mean the end.
'The beautiful and dazzling Savior' Mebius, this woman is truly terrifying.
Swish--
With a thought, an afterimage appeared before her, her slender fingers transforming into a black scythe that Piercer the tide that Kisame had just emerged from, causing the giant wave to freeze, disintegrate, and vanish into nothingness.