Chapter 415
How pitiful, they're squeezing every last bit of value out of us.
Mona crossed his arms in prayer, and then Yuki took out a torch and planted it outside the pure white space.
The pale flame flickered like a candle in the wind, stubbornly resisting the onslaught of the storm, yet it illuminated a large area, providing at least some sense of security.
As the torch burned, a large area of space bulged outward, like the starting point of a journey. Judging from the visual effect, the illuminated area was approximately 2,000 meters.
An invisible gaze suddenly focused on him, making Mona almost cling to his back. He could feel a pack of wolves lurking around him, ready to pounce the moment he left the light's reach.
It reacted.
The second torch was planted, and its light extended outward by the same distance. At the end, everyone stopped in their tracks, for ahead lay a bottomless Abyss Grade.
The boundary between darkness and the Lighthouse is blurring, and the areas illuminated by their torches converge.
Regardless of the torch's intensity, the illuminated area is the same, and the flame diminishes rapidly each time it's pulled out, making simple games like moving boxes impossible.
Yuki stopped in his tracks and suddenly asked, "According to the records, what are the consequences of failure?"
The question was strange, but Robertson patiently replied, "If we flee without looking back, the Eternal Night will spread, sweeping through the gaps into the Afterglow Space. Those who remain must escape as soon as possible."
This is the most dangerous place to explore the Eternal Night. The King of the Night won't just wait for a group of people to slowly study it in the Afterglow Space. He will keep squeezing this 'egg', which usually takes 12 hours.
"Activating the Lighthouse requires immense power, almost enough to sacrifice a Level 1 Night Watchers, which is why each research lab director can only do it once in their lifetime." A hint of nostalgia appeared on Robertson's face as he remarked with considerable emotion.
"Every time the Lighthouse is activated, we have to be fully prepared. The investigation is usually carried out in the early morning, and then we make the most of every minute to try to retreat as soon as possible by noon."
"What if we go over time?" Shunsui Kyōraku asked slowly, only to see several Night Watchers looking at him with idiotic expressions.
"They might not be able to escape, and be buried in Eternal Night."
These are already documented in the records and can be considered priceless. If starting from scratch, even Yuki would need to spend several days continuously activating the Lighthouse to test this information.
Here's the thing: less than half an hour after entering, the entire Afterglow Space shrank slightly inward. This was the Eternal Night squeezing in, cutting off the retreat route for those who dared to venture into the Eternal Night.
Therefore, if there is any possibility of failure, you have to run back as fast as you can.
"There's still not enough time. Even if we explore at dusk, it will take several hours for the Eternal Night to break through the Afterglow Space." Klein adjusted his top hat, pointed to the two torches on the ground, and said with a puzzled look, "You should switch their positions. The specific arrangement should be clearly stated in the data."
Of course it was clearly written that this was a lesson learned through blood and tears, and the most fervent torch should be placed at the end to prevent it from going out and cutting off the way back. However, Yuki placed the worn-out torch of the Nameless King at the entrance.
"I didn't put it in the wrong place."
"Hmm? This torch is the cornerstone. Once it goes out, things will be troublesome. As the base point, it breaks the boundary between darkness and Lighthouse, which is equivalent to opening a hole in the space wall. Eternal Night will rush in through the breach." Robertson's voice grew lower and lower as he spoke, and his expression became more and more ominous, because Yuki showed no intention of correcting him.
"What I want is for the Eternal Night to spread and completely engulf the Afterglow Space." Yuki around and saw everyone's astonished expressions. "At this point, you're not thinking of retreating, are you?"
No one wants to go back, but what normal person would cut off their own escape route? It's like a kite cutting its own string and drifting into the boundless darkness.
"Wait a minute! If you can't kill the King of the Night, we'll just be waiting to die on this deserted island!" Homura Akemi finally couldn't hold back anymore, but received no response.
Yuki was looking down at his watch when he snapped it shut.
6:30, that's about it.
Amidst the horrified gazes of the crowd, he pointed to the torch behind him, which resembled a wall lamp in a dark corridor, connecting with the afterglow of the setting sun, and the afterglow of the Lighthouse was linked to the mainland.
"You won't die, you'll win, Mr. Robertson. Give me those things."
Under Yuki's intense gaze, the bespectacled scholar hesitated for a few seconds before pulling out a pitch-black sheath.
This is a lampshade, the only thing that can block the light of a powerful Soul Lamp. It also has a byproduct: a layer of black veil, which the Inquisition uses specifically to shield its own light when carrying out classified missions.
Without any wasted words, the soul energy was converted into gravity, and amidst the terrified expressions, the torch was pulled out and the lampshade was placed on top.
Call--
The Eternal Night surged over like a tide, the gazes fixed upon them still devoid of any emotion, like a program executing commands methodically.
The Afterglow Space was compressed, prohibiting anyone from entering the Eternal Night. When this 'egg' cracked, the Yoruichi concentrated its power.
It's as if an eraser is wiping away the light; visually, the pure white space is rapidly receding. Even if Yuki to plant the torch back, entering the Afterglow Space would require traversing a long stretch of Eternal Night.
What kind of high-stakes gamble is this?
Shunsui Kyōraku, a gambling addict, gaped in astonishment. He had known Raymond was a ruthless man, but he hadn't expected him to be this ruthless. Seeing that his path to survival was blocked, he didn't even show a change in expression.
Yuki Shin remained expressionless as he watched large swathes of light being erased.
"The first step, the infusion of Eternal Night, is complete."
He stared at the receding light and saw a dozen figures emerge in the center of the afterglow. It was just like the scene of returning home, with an invisible pencil outlining human figures.
Until this moment, his slightly trembling fingers clenched into a fist.
"The second step is to lure the enemy into the trap."
Led by the Slothful Bishop, the 13 surviving players reached the Afterglow Space.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it! I hadn't even thought things through before they dragged me into this."
The spatial movement brought disorientation, but the trembling brain gradually regained its clarity.
The bishop hadn't intended to come, at least not so haphazardly. He wanted to understand the structure of the Lighthouse, and even when the powerful Soul Lamp appeared, he still harbored a desire to contact them. He at least wanted to see who the visitors were.
As soon as the bright light appeared, some players rushed into the Lighthouse, triggering a chain reaction that forced everyone to come in.
There are thousands of Night Watchers outside the Night Capital, and if any intruders are hostile, they are doomed, yet the bishop cannot blame anyone.
Just like approaching the Lighthouse, this is still a continuation of the survival instinct. If they simply wanted to vent their anger, there are tens of millions of people outside of Night Capital whom they could kill at will.
All talk of a dramatic death is just empty rhetoric. If there's even a chance to survive, players will fight tooth and nail, and the reason is quite simple.
Players who reach Monster II or higher are those with the strongest survival instincts. Like gold being sifted from sand, players who act impulsively have long been eliminated.
"Spatial teleportation? The Lighthouse is just a portal?"
"What kind of place is this? Where are the enemies?"
"Could it be that they've left us a way out?"
"Then we should talk about it."
The dozen or so players looked around, imagining that the scene inside the Lighthouse should be surrounded by thousands of Night Watchers, or at least by powerful figures.
The fact that there wasn't a single person in sight was rather strange. In the battle between players, it's a fight to the death; there's no room for mercy, and even if there is, it comes at a price.
Many people even made up their minds that as long as the other party spared them, they would hand over all their items with open arms; if they really had no way out, they would then talk about fighting to the death.
What are they asking us to do?
The Slothful Bishop was also bewildered. He had made many predictions before entering the Lighthouse, and was even willing to volunteer to challenge the King of the Night, believing that only by finding a way out could they reverse the decline.
As a result, no one talked to them; it was as if they had forgotten about the players.
No, if we had truly forgotten, we wouldn't have been forced into the Lighthouse!
A chill ran through him. He looked into the distance and saw a light in the pitch-black Eternal Night, like a star in the night sky, gradually receding into the distance.
"They're really ignoring us and going off to conquer the King of the Night on their own? Wait a minute, what reason would they have to do such a good deed?"
The bishop narrowed his eyes, and a moment later, his pupils contracted, and his ugly face began to tremble rapidly; this time, it wasn't just his brain that was shaking.
This is not the stars moving away, but the Eternal Night expanding, extending into their territory.
"Damn it, I knew this was a trap!"
Many players came to their senses at the same time, and everyone had the same expression:
A sudden realization, followed by a stunned silence, and finally, despair.
A deceptive trap, an ambush from all sides, to annihilate the enemy with overwhelming force.
The real trap lies far from the battlefield, where someone else can use another to do the dirty work.
It's like a replay of the Central Battle; the phrase "using someone else to do the dirty work" applies here.
"Back off! This thing is more powerful than the Dark Night Tide; we'll be swallowed up in an instant!"
How do I exit? How do I leave this space?
"You ask me? How would I know?!"
"Don't get separated!"
Arriving in haste, knowing almost nothing about the Lighthouse and lacking intelligence, even Yuki wouldn't be able to do anything about it.
More than ten players retreated in unison, each displaying their unique skills and pushing their mental abilities to the Limit.
Some activated their Transcendental Grade abilities to observe their surroundings, some frantically released swarms of drones, and some bombarded the ground beneath their feet with all their might.
But it's useless. There's no way to find any clues in this short time, and even if we did, it would be impossible to return to the mainland, because Yuki himself has cut off his own escape route.
The last rays of light were being wiped away in large swaths, and the Eternal Night drew ever closer, soon swallowing up most of the light. Behind them lay an even more terrifying Eternal Night, like the sea flooding an isolated island, forcing humanity to constantly seek refuge in higher ground.
Everyone was drenched in sweat, some even losing their minds, rushing into the darkness, but his light only lasted for three seconds before disappearing completely.
"Stop retreating! Didn't you want to die a glorious death?" the Sloth Bishop roared, his eyes bloodshot. If this continued, they would only be devoured by the Eternal Night by one. His madness surpassed courage.
"Come closer to me and fight against the Eternal Night. If the King of the Night appears, kill him and you can return to the fold and settle accounts with those bastards!"
[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.]
This is Eternal Night, this is the path to survival we've desperately struggled to find, even if the chances are negligible. It's still better than being trampled to death like ants.
It's a one percent chance, but which player present hasn't created the Miracle? Like a group of trapped beasts, their eyes bloodshot, filled with the belief of a desperate strike, even epic figures would have to back down.
Passive courage is still courage. This is more effective than the Slothful Bishop's bluff over the past few days. Traps and conspiracies are irrelevant; each player carries only one belief:
Live for yourself, even if it's just for one more second!
War!
They gathered around the Slothful Bishop, and like him, discarded the lamps on their chests. They had been working on the dungeon for almost two weeks, and they certainly knew the conditions for the night to engulf them.
If 11 players are in the same area and are simultaneously engulfed, they will appear in the same darkness.
It's difficult for one player to escape, but with 11 players gathered together, let's see if the night has any teeth left!
"The hymn of humanity is the Ode of Courage."
"A Lone Star shines in the Eternal Night, "Yuki to himself with an expression of admiration.
All 11 players are heroes, having survived brutal hunting missions. Each has their own unique skills, including three strong Monster IV fighters. They have even practiced many tactics over the past two days.
Getting players from seven or eight different factions to cooperate requires a lot of thought, and Yuki understood this when he saw the black-haired youth.
General Reuenthal of 'Infinite Starry Sky' is truly a talent; he can command cross-faction cooperation. It's just a pity I couldn't use him.
Teamwork is the cornerstone for players to overcome stronger opponents, and Yuki would love for them to be as strong as possible.
They're not willing to be brave.
Mona rolled his eyes. There are very few hotheads among the players. Even fierce and brave people like Ashura Rhinoceros Beetle and Tiger Vanguard will frantically increase their intelligence. It was this guy who forced them to be brave.
"No wonder you've been ignoring these players these past two days."
"Yes, besides the fighting spirit of trapped beasts, they also need strength and rest. Now is the time when their teamwork is at its best and their stamina is at its peak, so they should challenge Eternal Night."
These words sent chills down the spines of Emiya and the others. If it weren't for the Eternal Night that devours people beyond the torches, they would have already fled Yuuki Yuki.
I've never heard of making the enemy stronger; everything is within the calculations of this Hidden Sage. You must know that the power unleashed by these trapped beasts is already enough to contend with them. Even if they are eliminated, half of the players will perish.
But all they had to do was watch the show, a terrifying horror film.
United and with overwhelming combat power, the players crushed the darkness time and time again, only to be swallowed up again and again, much like drowning people struggling to break free from the water, only to be swallowed up by the next wave.
The ferocious and desperate faces seem to be engraved in the memory, giving even monster-level players nightmares.
Courage, struggle, and then death—that's the most despairing thing in the Reincarnation Game; it's not as quick and painless as a single beheading.
"No, I can't watch anymore, otherwise I'll definitely have nightmares when I go back."
"The most terrifying thing is that even if you perform at an exceptional level, you still can't escape death."
"Is this Raymond a demon? Why does he play with people's hearts like this?"
They whispered among themselves, unable to see the battle unfold, but able to imagine its brutality.
They unleashed all the trump cards they had previously been reluctant to use, even at the cost of self-harm in exchange for greater power, and several factions even forged a strong bond of camaraderie.
But it was all in vain; the flames of revenge couldn't even reach the real enemies, and all they could see was the number of players on the panel constantly decreasing.
22, 21, 20, 18...