Chapter 414
What are you two doing hiding here?
Hawkeye and Kisame were already used to this woman's elusive style, so they weren't surprised that she was found.
"We have powerful Soul Lamp; they're too conspicuous outside."
"Nonsense, we never intended to find you. Otherwise, locating you two in the Night Watchers's lair would be a piece of cake," Mebius said, flicking his long hair and cutting to the chase.
"Have you explored the entire Night Capital? Have you seen any trace of Level 1 Night Watchers? Where did the Sloth Bishop and his group of players go?"
She spoke at a rapid pace, like a machine gun, but fortunately, the two of them were prepared.
No Level 1 Night Watchers were found. Several prisoners were captured and their memories were searched, confirming that they had entered the Lighthouse with players from Valhalla, numbering around ten, and had also taken most of the Soul Annihilation Cannon.
Then, the Sloth Bishop and other players entered the Lighthouse about half an hour earlier, around 6:30. They didn't want to go in at first, but when they saw a powerful Soul Lamp approaching, they gritted their teeth and stepped in.
Damn it, that was factored in too.
Mebius gently touched his forehead. To those terrified fools, a powerful Soul Lamp meant that the enemy player had arrived and they had fallen into an ambush.
Stepping into the Lighthouse would surely be a trap, but staying put would certainly mean certain death. If they truly had the ability to fight against the Night Watchers, they wouldn't have ended up in this predicament.
Among so many players, there must be some intelligent ones, but they will be swept up by cowards or overly brave reckless individuals, and will follow the crowd without having time to think.
"A psychological game, night is about to fall, and the way out is right before us. Those players with weaker Soul Lamp don't have time to think; if they move, the others will be swept along." Mebius rubbed his throbbing temples and said coldly:
"So you two were used, and became the fuse."
Kisame stared at Hawkeye without a trace of shame.
Is it my fault?
This light serves as their identification. In other places, those players might have thought about it more, but this is Night Capital. Even if they're determined to fight like cornered beasts, they'll have to wait until they're truly trapped before making any decisions.
The only solution is to give the powerful Soul Lamp to Mebius, allowing the two to make direct, stealthy contact. But one is a Shichibukai, the other a rogue ninja—who's the saint?
"Why don't we wait for them to deal with the Darkness King..." Kisame stopped mid-sentence, only then remembering that the woman in front of him was Slayer.
All the other players wanted Yuki to win, but she was the only one who wanted Yuki lose.
"I can't wait. If he loses, that's fine, but if he wins, wouldn't I become the Clown?" Mebius no longer cared about the main quest rewards. Afraid of being wiped out, she didn't bother with any more words. "I'm going to investigate the Lighthouse and find out the details as soon as possible. You two get ready to enter."
No one moved. Hawkeye's gaze was as sharp as a knife. From their perspective, this instance was already over.
Whoever defeats the King of the Night can return. Even if they fail, it doesn't matter; if all the other players are wiped out, fulfilling the requirement of only three factions remaining, they can still return.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense. The two players each gripped the hilt of their knives. Survival was their top priority; all talk of contracts and ethics had to go to hell.
The two Monster IV players were very experienced; they wouldn't be easily manipulated.
"You don't want the reward anymore?"
"Compared to my life, the reward is insignificant." Hawkeye shook his head firmly, and out of respect for the strong, explained, "Entering the Lighthouse is another dimension, filled with the unknown. Please forgive me for not being able to risk my life."
Who knows if they'll come back after stepping into the pillar of light? They're not going to be cannon fodder as scouts; they're betting that Mebius won't dare to openly escalate the conflict.
She'll have to pay the price for killing two people; what will she use to fight the King of the Night?
In a few seconds, dozens of plans flashed through Mebius's mind. Snake Eyes hesitated. She could smell the script, but she couldn't find any logical flaws in them. She even felt powerless.
You know there's a problem, but you can't solve it.
Give me the light.
"Good."
While Kisame hesitated, Hawkeye decisively tossed the torch to Mebius. This was the price of breaking the contract. Their Soul Lamp were enough to get them through the night. At worst, they could try to steal an airdrop tomorrow. No, there were no players left to steal from them now.
Including those dropped from the air and those brought by the raiding party, there are a total of 9 powerful Soul Lamp. Mebius has already acquired 7 of them. This is not enough, but he cannot ask for more.
So she said nothing and simply turned into a puddle of black mud and vanished.
The palace basement was eerily quiet. Only after confirming that the epic player had left did the two players, 'Nindo Group' and 'Ocean's Chosen', finally breathe a sigh of relief.
They survived, but not completely. They were just a few steps away from epic kills, but wasted a precious hunt instance.
"We two are ranked in the top ten among all players, and we're just going to be slackers like this?" Kisame's face still held resentment and a bit of bewilderment.
"It's good enough that I'm alive. If I wait a few more years, I'll eventually get a similar instance." Hawkeye no longer has the mentality of fighting every enemy he sees, or rather, anyone with that mentality wouldn't survive to Monster IV.
"Mebius was terrifying enough, but the person opposite him was even more terrifying. I still don't know who he is, yet my Destiny is completely in his hands."
"Are you saying we survived because of His mercy?" Kisame held his breath, realizing something terrifying as well.
They are both very strong, but precisely because they are so strong, they don't feel very involved in this dungeon. This is even more terrifying than an epic-level player suddenly appearing and crushing you.
Without ever fighting, never facing, or even making contact, it arranges everything perfectly for you in your confusion.
"That's not kindness."
Hawkeye took out a cigar, put it in his mouth, and just as he lit it, a strange energy emanated from above, Piercer the thick concrete and bringing a terrifying sense of oppression.
Before nightfall, all the lights in the basement went out, leaving only two flickering, fire-like Soul Lamp.
The King of the Night has appeared. The Nameless King tested it in the tides. His appearance will affect a large area of reality. They were incredibly excited to have mastered this secret.
"It seems that one of them isn't going to give Mebius time to study the Lighthouse." Hawkeye, having just experienced an epic ordeal, leaned against the wall, looking somewhat dejected, his sword-like sharpness dimmed.
This legendary swordsman of the Ocean's Chosen never drew his sword; it was already covered in dust. True despair doesn't give you the chance to draw your sword; it leaves you with inner demons.
He had no doubt that if he received news of that person again, he probably wouldn't have the courage to draw his sword.
7:05.
The swordsman glanced at his watch, released his grip on the sword hilt, as if all his strength had been drained away.
"A true god, if he wants you to live, you can live without doing anything; if he wants you to die, you will die no matter how hard you struggle."
Chapter Twenty-One: Like a Demon
Is this the Afterglow Space?
Yuki stood in a completely empty white space, somewhat like the settlement space of Reincarnation Game, but not infinitely large.
The pure white ended in darkness, a deep and boundless darkness. He found himself standing inside an egg, enveloped by the night, and then he looked around.
The four Level 1 Night Watchers — Emiya, Shunsui Kyōraku, Homura Akemi, Sekiro, and Mona— were all present. Finally, they took out their pocket watches and glanced at the time.
6:15.
The Night Watchers's information is correct. Spatial teleportation is instantaneous, and it's very difficult to go back. They usually choose the brightest time of day, midday.
This is Yuki's biggest advantage. In his scenario, 'time' is the most important factor. There's no time to waste on exploration. Other players don't have this advantage; they don't understand the nature of the Lighthouse or the 'Afterglow Space'.
The Night Watchers has made countless attempts over the millennia, which saves time on exploration. After all, all players will notice when the Lighthouse appears, and what Yuki needs to do is prevent others from having time to explore.
"Any direction, any angle, can lead into the Eternal Night. As long as you go far enough, you can reach the end." Yuki murmured to himself. There is no concept of 'direction' here. Any direction can lead into the Eternal Night. Of course, this requires sufficient lighting.
"Then, like the Dark Night Tide, all internal and external connections are severed, including the Night Watchers's abilities. This restriction is above hint 1."
"Yes, the remaining lights are visible here, and as long as they don't go out, those who come later can follow the path," Robertson added, noting that the Night Watchers had conducted experiments in this regard.
Yuki nodded; this was noted in the information.
The Eternal Night washes away the lamps, causing them to wear down at a rapid pace. Therefore, the paths left by previous players have long since disappeared. Once a powerful Soul Lamp is planted, you must hurry on your way.
"According to records, the highest record was that even six torches couldn't penetrate the Eternal Night?"
"Hmm, the difference shouldn't be too far off. The commander of that generation explicitly stated that they would cut off all escape routes, so nine lamps should be enough."
Yuki raised an eyebrow and did some calculations. There were now a total of 9 powerful Soul Lamp, plus 2 more outside. He could roughly conclude that the epic-level player was skilled in calculation and research, and was able to get close to the truth even without information about the Night Watchers.
That's good. I'm just afraid of reckless people who don't think about anything.
Yuki laughed. When it comes to cunning, who can outsmart him? He glanced at the Eternal Night beyond the pure white space and walked to the front.
"Let's go, let's begin the first step of the plan."
Gurgle.
Everyone, including the Night Watchers, swallowed hard. The information stated that at least seven powerful Soul Lamp were needed, and they only had two.
The terror of the King of the Night lies not in his power, but in the Eternal Night, which is his rule. He can use the monsters within his rules to endlessly devour you, even grinding an iron man into dust. Judging from the difficulty of the dungeon, his strength is at least at the Epic II level.
To confront Him directly, we must approach the End of Eternal Night and force Him to appear, and we currently have two pieces of information.
First, the deeper one goes into the Eternal Night, the weaker the King of the Night becomes.
Second, the larger the area covered by the tides, the stronger the King of the Night becomes.
These two principles were tested by the Night Watchers at the cost of their lives during countless catastrophes, and many of them still regret their actions.
"Tsk, if only the Lighthouse had been activated on day one."
"It's a common trick in Reincarnation Game; you have to find clues bit by bit, and you also have to deal with interference from both the instance and the player." Yuki glanced at the pouting girl, explaining while measuring the area and intensity of the space:
"There's no such thing as 'if only'. Oh, you forgot one thing: the King of Eternal Night watches over those who venture into the Eternal Night, and he's watching from the outside right now."
Mona shivered and moved closer instantly, feeling like a goldfish in a fishbowl with a giant eye peering at her through the glass.
Epic II, and it's not just a simple Epic II.
Yuki felt goosebumps rise on his skin. After advancing to Epic rank, his senses had become even sharper, and he knew that the King of the Night was watching him, and he was reading that gaze.
None.
There was no murderous intent, no anger, no disgust in his gaze; it was as if he were looking at thin air, which made him show a hint of regret.
If they acknowledge my identity, they might go easy on me regarding 'Taiyi's' legacy; it seems they're dreaming.
Fortunately, the gaze wasn't malicious, unlike the guardians sent by the Reincarnation Game. Otherwise, the Slayer would have a huge advantage, and the other players would be out of the game.
"Will your script really be useful?" Mona, perhaps out of nervousness, trying to make conversation.
"I don't know," Yuki answered honestly. It was his first time using the Future Diary, and who knew how much power it held? Seeing Mona's tense face, he comforted her:
"Don't worry, the logic is very sound. When no one can see the coincidence, then it is no longer a coincidence. All I need is some insignificant influence."
A single thought, a moment's hesitation, a second's delay can all affect the final outcome.
For example, players within the Tidecaller Muken, sticking together to the very end; for example, the Slothed Bishop and others suddenly become bursting with courage, insisting on waiting for the outcome; for example, that epic-level player is extremely cautious, yet willing to take a gamble; or for example, some unexpected event occurs, the Night Watchers makes a foolish mistake, and the two sides start fighting, wasting time, etc.
These are the details that the Future Diary needs to influence.
"But epic-level players have a high resistance to things like causality."
"I know, so the protagonist of the script isn't him. What we need to do is make him know there's a problem, but he has no choice but to grit his teeth and keep going." Yuki wasn't worried about this. The Future Diary could even affect the Reincarnation Game, so it was definitely not a simple law of cause and effect.
"Don't worry, even if everything fails, I have several contingency plans prepared, though they are riskier."
"Everything stems from intelligence; everything comes from calculation."
Mona completely relaxed. This situation was far beyond what 'intelligence' could control, so she Yuki said.
At this moment, Yuki arrived at the edge of the space, reached out his hand, and felt a very special membrane separating the darkness and the light.
Those who possess a soul can travel through time, but any Transcendental Grade power that enters will vanish without a trace. When he undergoes a qualitative change, there is no reaction whatsoever to Soul Extraction or Void Conversion.
"Similar to the Nameless King gathering energy, once it reaches a certain intensity, I can no longer convert it, nor can I ignite it."
With his energy bound by the rules, Yuki simply abandoned his plan to ignite the sea of stars, took a step forward, and immediately retreated.
That's impressive.
With just this one step, the Soul Lamp is about to go out. Its strength is ten times greater than the Dark Night Tide. If he really relied on his own Soul Lamp, he would probably have to kill hundreds of players to be enough.
Everyone knows what happens when the lights go out, and the King of the Night can strike at any time; who can withstand that?
"Are you really going to consume the Eternal Night?" Robertson couldn't hold back any longer and reminded him, "This experiment was abandoned halfway because the cost of consuming the Eternal Night was too great. It would be better to delve deeper into the Eternal Night."
This is the third piece of intelligence, an unverified one, or rather, one that has never been possible to verify during previous catastrophes.
"Yes, energy is conserved. Where does the energy of this Eternal Night come from, and can it be combined with the principle that 'the larger the area covered by the tide, the stronger the King of the Night.'" Yuki is not just going to stand on the shoulders of his predecessors; he wants to take a step forward and look at other players.
"Read tip five again."
[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.]
The use of the word "one" is brilliant. It means that the King of the Night is not as endless as those monsters. He has hunted down players before and left traces. However, he is immortal in the night, which is why players are terrified of the night.
"Mr. Raymond, are you trying to distract him?"
"Yes, if the King of the Night is dealing with other targets, even if I am dragged into the darkness an endless number of times, I can break free with brute force, even if I only advance one meter each time." Yuki clearly had a plan, and seeing the tense faces, he suddenly smiled and waved his hand.
"Relax, I don't intend for you to confront Him directly. Others will be involved in the experiment that consumes Eternal Night."
Everyone was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized why Yuki had kept that group of jungle players.