Chapter 423

Having experienced the faction war of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, he discovered that only those above the Transcendental Grade level have any significance in terms of 'quantity'; otherwise, they are all just food for the strong.

'The players in this Thorny Rose group have such evenly distributed skill levels.' Mona glanced around furtively; as a seasoned player, she could spot the problem at a glance.

There are many extraordinary-level magicians in Valhalla, but they are of little help and a large portion of them are eliminated in every mission.

In the Borderlands phase, even the simplest tasks are based on the Transcendental Grade level. Of course, you won't gain an advantage by challenging those who are higher level, and the bulk of the rewards will be taken by stronger players.

The strong get stronger, and the weak get weaker. To become strong, you need to emerge from the brutal competition and start the snowball effect.

Therefore, factions that connect to the Borderlands are not good for new players. The closed world, where everyone works together to explore, is where factions develop rapidly. But then again, without being able to obtain resources from the Borderlands, the development speed of a closed world is too slow.

"This faction is so strange, how come they get all the benefits?" Mona muttered. According to the standards of the Valhalla' key training, one should obtain Transcendental Grade strength in the first five dungeons before ascension, not counting players who retrieve their lost items.

"You've benefited from my influence, haven't you? It's actually quite fair when you look at it. All those heroic spirits became Transcendental Grade just by becoming players. Who can we complain to?"

"It's the highest level of Transcendental Grade. Even when the Magic King became a player, he was at most Transcendental Grade. Everyone else's level will be reduced proportionally." Mona pouted and retorted, just like a child arguing about whose father is greater.

"Besides, there aren't many Heroic Spirits; most of them are just ordinary people like me."

Haha, just an ordinary person.

Yuki was Taiyi lazy to argue with her. Taiichi's actions came at a price, the price of which was the lives of countless ordinary players. Generally speaking, players of Thorny Rose needed to complete more than a dozen dungeons to advance to the Transcendental Grade, and then they had to go through a terrible assessment mission.

Fatty, Li Dan, Curly Hair, Pan Zi —these people have all faded from my memory. If there really is any bug, it's that the pre-ascension dungeon didn't have a participation system, allowing even the brave but weak to get a share of the spoils, preventing them from being eliminated due to a small mistake.

Walking down Central Avenue, Yuki saw a handsome young man in a light blue uniform walking towards him, with two hot female players on his arms. He turned his head slightly to let the man pass by.

"Do you know him?" Mona looked back and forth; the young man was wearing a police uniform.

"Hmm, a brave weakling. I didn't expect him to get up here so quickly." Yuki glanced at the retreating figure and walked into the nearby cafe.

The strength of the Thorny Rose is about the same, so of course no players will come to work as waiters. The boss bought a batch of androids from the 'Mechanical Believers' to work as waiters, and they can also be brought into battle during dungeons.

Yuki chose a seat by the window and looked out at the bustling street. Because he had imposed restrictions, players rarely went to the Borderlands unless they were trading items, so the area was relatively quiet and lively.

Mona was still looking around when she discovered many secrets about Yuki, such as the single vortex in the sky and the strange sense of relaxation among the players there.

This was somewhat unbelievable to her; a single link indicated that all players in Thorny Rose shared a common homeland, and they might even know each other. The complicated interpersonal relationships in Valhalla were giving her a real headache.

A and B are mortal enemies, but it turns out that B doesn't even know A.

"That's weird. I accept missions so frequently, yet I still have time to wander around. It takes me several days just to adjust my mindset."

"Because they're used to it. One mission, one week of rest. Humans are very adaptable." Yuki took a sip of coffee, found it didn't taste as good as Hayasaka's, and gently put it down. "By the way, you've uncovered quite a few secrets, haven't you? What do you think?"

"Tsk, I can't tell anyone. As for how it is? It's pretty good. Each faction has its own characteristics, some are cruel, some are easy, but there are very few factions that accept missions so frequently, and I've never seen one that doesn't take it so seriously."

Mona swung her legs; aside from the fact that the players' strength was average, this was the biggest anomaly.

Very few people can collect all that authority, and even if they do, it will be used as a tool to attack enemies, much like the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons.

As for promotion, forget about it. Other players won't accept the "I'm doing this for your own good" or "I want everyone to get stronger quickly" mentality. They'll just unite to overthrow you and devour you.

"Huh, Transcendental Grade powers can't be used inside the Outpost." She suddenly realized, no wonder it was so harmonious, the source of the turmoil had been removed.

You finally figured it out; sometimes it's hard to tell if it's stupidity or intelligence.

Yuki rolled her eyes and looked at the coffee shop with interest. That's right, this thing was an illegal building. The Outpost of Thorny Rose was full of identical high-rise buildings, and the coffee shop was built along the street using ordinary building materials.

The prosperity brought him, the true 'unknown king,' some solace. Hearing the doorbell ring, a familiar-looking man and woman walked in.

"Kitahara?"

"Sorashima?"

The two exchanged a glance; this was their first meeting since their ascension. Chisa, who was much more reserved, gave a slight bow.

"When did you get up here, kid? Where did Mai Sakurajima go?" Iori Kitahara was very excited. There's a saying, "Meeting an old friend in a foreign land."

"I just finished a few dungeons, and then my senior went to do some quests." Yuki stood up, equally excited. There were fewer and fewer people who could talk to him so casually, and only the idiots in the Facial Expressions Department wouldn't think so much.

"A few instances? So that's the first two batches, huh? You trying to show off, huh? Hey, who's this?"

Kitahara turned his head and saw Mona, who was hidden by the chair. Mona was looking at him curiously and gently waved her little hand.

"Mena Ryougi, the newest member of my team."

"I see. You mean you sent Mai Sakurajima on a mission while you stayed here having fun with this little girl?" Kitahara stroked his chin and nodded slightly. "Yuki Sorajima, you're a beast! If Kohei Imamura saw this, he'd probably grind his teeth to dust."

Kohei Imamura didn't become a player, but Yuki knew this was true: if that perverted anime fan saw a loli calling him "brother," he would go berserk on the spot.

"You're pretty much the same. Aside from Chisa, your life must be quite exciting."

"Uh, how did you know?"

"Because you, you beast, have been staring at the android lady's miniskirt."

"Oh, not at all, it's the lolicon who's Taiyi perverted."

As they talked, they approached each other, stopping about half a meter apart. Suddenly, they reached out and slapped each other hard, laughing at the same time.

"Haha, I'm relieved to see you're alright, you beast."

"Don't say such auspicious things. Even if you die, I won't."

Mona slowly opened her mouth, and the straw had already fallen out. She stared in disbelief, completely unable to reconcile the man before her with the Soul King.

Of course, players also have friends, and there are epic-level players who hide their strength, but they would never be as casual as this. They are more like comrades-in-arms and companions, Taiyi from her and Illya, because the foundation of their friendship is strength.

Friends from mortal times?

She had an unbelievable thought: this was too difficult. Players came from countless worlds, and even if they shared the same hometown, the chances of them knowing each other were slim. Moreover, when they reached epic levels and monsters, their so-called friends would have already perished along the way.

This strange faction seems to have skipped the closed-world phase?

Yuki ignored the lowly agent, Mona. His relationship with Iori Kitahara was relatively pure, a rare one where they weren't acquaintances involved in the Reincarnation Game.

They were just neighbors and classmates. Kitahara was also very smart and never asked any questions. For example, the little girl next to him who was eavesdropping was very strange. Because Thorny Rose was made up of ordinary people, the elderly and children were extremely rare and were basically eliminated in the beginner missions.

"Senior, you've opened an izakaya up ahead. Want to go for a bit? The Reincarnation Game is really great! You can get drinks that you never dared to dream of before, just by exchanging them."

"Minors aren't allowed in. That's a rule set by the seniors, right?" Yuuki Mona Yuki Mona, who was about to object, and looked out the window. "The Outpost is bustling now. If you don't look at the sky, it's exactly like the Izu shopping district."

The roadsides are lined with illegal buildings, and there are even convenience stores. Even though you can easily redeem anything there, I'd rather spend a few more points to continue my old habits.

"The Arbitration Council did a good job; I'm not even keen on going to Borderlands anymore."

"Why?"

"The Reincarnation Game there is too intense, it's hard to get used to. Compared to them, we're like newborn babies, and it's inevitable that we'll be corrupted." Iori Kitahara sighed. Everyone knows that Thorny Rose is strange because the 'closed world' phase is very long, enough to wash away the traces of their hometown.

But they've only been in existence for two months; that's not enough time to change a person.

As a socialite, Iori Kitahara recognized many players passing by outside the window, her eyes glazed over.

"Having a Peach Blossom Spring, being with familiar people, is a small comfort in this terrible world. I hope this kind of time can last forever."

"As long as you're satisfied."

"Hey, it's not like you did this on purpose." Kitahara poked Yuki's stomach, and while waiting for the takeout, they chatted about some interesting things.

For example, the 'Diving Club' collaborates with a group called 'Modern Visual Culture Research Society'. Depending on the mission, the two parties send players to each other, and they often hold events together on a regular basis.

Essentially, it's just an alliance of different teams from other factions, only with more faction-specific characteristics. Thorns Thorny Rose doesn't have any impressive-sounding 'Bronze Tree' or 'Hokage Village'; it just has clubs or companies where high school students play with each other, college students cooperate with each other, and office workers play on the sidelines.

A new order has been formed, bound by past identities and age—two things meaningless in the Reincarnation Game. Apart from that, there are no other factions involved in their melodramatic affairs.

Leaving aside the sharply conflicting factions like the 'Night Parade of One Hundred Demons,' even the 'War Orphans' and the 'Nindo Group' harbor hatred for each other because they have protagonists and villains, a setting that continues even after becoming a player.

But Thorny Rose is different. It's just a bunch of everyday worlds. There might be a protagonist, but the villain is at most a yellow-haired bullhead. It doesn't involve any 'mission' or 'enlightenment' that sound like something with deep-seated hatred.

"I know why this Outpost is acting strange." Mona carried the packaged cake with Lightness steps. "The players here are too 'ordinary,' just a bunch of ordinary citizens."

After all, Mona came from a world where Transcendental Grade powers were obscured by gas explosions. These people were like ordinary students in the Mifune City Third Elementary School, living ordinary daily lives.

They know nothing of magic, nothing of the Holy Grail, and of course, they wouldn't fight tooth and nail for something like a magician, with hatred lasting for millennia.

"Hmm, otherwise, even with all my abilities, I couldn't create this kind of 'harmony.'" Yuki subconsciously went to the convenience store, bought a pack of cigarettes, lit one, and said softly:

"Without a clear distinction between good and evil, there is no deep-seated hatred. If there is any hatred, it is brought about by the Reincarnation Game. I don't have time to mediate any factional conflicts; maintaining the status quo is fine."

"Reconciling conflicts is actually quite simple; just eliminate one side completely." Mona took a few Lightness steps forward and explained, "Just like what Valhalla did, of course, we seized the opportunity of the Magic King becoming the Judge."

Upon hearing the Solomon, Yuki subconsciously frowned.

"Why would the Magic King become the Judge? He has gathered most of the authority in Valhalla and is the true ruler, so why would he become a lackey for the Reincarnation Game?"

"How would I know? Maybe they find it too boring and there's no room for advancement."

Huh, a promotion path?

Yuki suddenly remembered something: the upward mobility of the Reincarnation Game had been severed by 'Taiyi,' as if the two were forever separated, with those above unable to descend and those below unable to ascend.

No wonder they risked their lives to destroy 'Taiyi'; wouldn't that be killing Him?

It is known that the Reincarnation Game is a selection process, designed to choose those who will be reincarnated. Judging from the situation of the Witch God, the above is an even more massive war, in which stars are shattered and time is distorted.

"Let's go see Miss Ryougi Shiki."

"No, let's play for a couple more days." Mona shook her head stubbornly, arguing, "You've come into contact with the inheritance, aren't you afraid of any repercussions? Let them stay out of the loop for a few more days, and then let me sneak back to investigate. Wouldn't that be safer?"

Yuki stared at her, knowing full well that this girl wanted to play games, but he couldn't refute her. He looked up at the vortex in the sky.

"Okay, I'd like to see what kind of reaction this will trigger."

Chapter Three, Mona: I'm sticking with you!

[By finding the surviving players, the dungeon 'Nighttime Murder' has reached its conclusion, and the quest hints are as follows]

[The clues were provided by Kisame of the 'Nindo Group' and Hawkeye of the Ocean's Chosen ']

[After confirming that they did not know who the player who ended the night was, based on the clues provided, we found the player who participated in the final battle, 'the beautiful and dazzling Savior's Mebius.]

[Mebius refused to cooperate, deducing in reverse that she had 'died' in the Eternal Night and did not participate in the final battle.]

[Players associated with Valhalla and Magical Girl have been located and confirmed not to have participated in the final battle.]

[The participant is Raymond, a player known as 'Aether Particles'. His presence has been observed, but it cannot be confirmed whether he is an epic-level player.]

[Based on the standard Borderlands time, its correlation with the mutation is approximately 72.5%]

[Suggestion: Find Raymond and find out the details of the final battle]

A monotone, emotionless electronic voice rang out. The Judge, with his keen sense of smell and exceptional efficiency, quickly ascertained the details of the 'Nighttime Murder' in just two or three days. But as before, this left him with endless questions.

Before the Head Hunters and Li Dan could figure out what was going on, Raymond jumped out again. As for 'Hundred Eyes's' suggestion, that's utter nonsense; it's definitely related to him.

The Judge periodically scan the Borderlands using skills like Destiny exploration and causal regression, somewhat like a local police officer checking household registrations. It's a laborious and inefficient method, and there had been no reaction before, but just a few days ago, they made a discovery.

Information about 'Taiyi' has surfaced, but it's not exciting because there's just too much related information.

In Valhalla, the End World, the Nindo Group, the Land of Life and Death...

A great deal of information emerged, and upon in-depth investigation, none of it was Taiyi.

Whether it's a memory, a fragment of a prop, or a piece of inexplicable text, it sends chills down the spine of the Judge.

'Taiyi' was erased by the Reincarnation Game, completely and utterly erased. Even the Judge was implanted by the Reincarnation Game along with the mission, and other players will not have any memory of him.

Even Shiki Ryougi only knows to look for 'His' legacy, but she can't remember who 'His' is no matter what.

This anomaly indicates one thing: Taiyi is reviving, slowly crawling out of the Abyss Grade. Considering the cost of that Great Cataclysm, once He reveals half of His body, there will be no hundreds of reincarnators and the game to suppress Him.

"We must not let Him awaken, or He will kill us all in an instant."

A chilling voice rang out, gaining unanimous agreement from the other eleven stars. Whether or not they had experienced that upheaval, they all knew what 'Taiyi' meant.

That means 'nothingness,' utter and complete 'nothingness'.

"Valhalla is the prime suspect, Solomon, what do you have to say?"

This has happened twice already; it can't be a coincidence.

"There's not much to say. I know some Valhalla players want to escape the Reincarnation Game, and it's understandable that they want to contact 'Taiyi,' the only being who can do that." A gentle voice rang out, as if a refined scholar stood behind the azure stars.

"I agree with the judgment against the Valhalla, but the problem is who should go. It's a powerful faction; the five Heroic Kings united are not easy to deal with."

"Three Grand Inquisitors are enough to destroy Valhalla!" the red star the Roar.

"Yes, the question is, what will the harvest be? Will we find any direct clues?" Solomon very calm, answering his own question, "No, now it's more likely that the Taiyi fragment. What about the judgment of Valhalla, Aether Particles? Oh, and the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons. If we judge them one by one, what reasons will we use, and what consequences will it cause?"

These words silenced all the stars. This involved hundreds of factions, and they weren't fools. They weren't going to wait for you to kill them. They needed a standard, a reason.

Originally, the name 'Taiyi' was not to be revealed, but now there are too many reactions related to it. Today the Valhalla was judged, will we be judged tomorrow because of a memory?

"We must not act rashly, as this could easily trigger a chain reaction."