Chapter 424

"But are we just going to wait for Him to revive and then destroy us? Even if 'Taiyi' is weakened, he is still at the Reincarnation level. All of us combined wouldn't be enough for one of His blows."

Caught between a rock and a hard place, no choice seems right; truly befitting a 'reincarnation-level' trial mission.

Aizen listened quietly without interrupting. To put it bluntly, they could deal with the weak quietly, and even if they made mistakes, it wouldn't be a big deal. But they needed to be serious about a powerful faction, especially a united and powerful faction like the Valhalla with few weaknesses.

That's impressive. This was a deliberate setup. A player this strong shouldn't be able to reveal any obvious weaknesses.

Is it possible that Valhalla was also being used?

The discussion ceased, and all the Grand Inquisitors looked at Aizen, some of them immediately realizing what was happening.

"You mean Taiyi is deliberately provoking conflict between the Judge and the players?"

"It's not impossible. We already have conflicts with various factions. As Mr. Solomon said, judging the 'Valhalla' is within our capabilities. The question is the follow-up impact and gains." Aizen, who often listened in as an observer, seized the opportunity to explain:

"Thorny Rose, Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, Valhalla, the Aether Particles and the Head Hunters —He is deliberately creating targets while remaining hidden behind the scenes. The Judgment faction is utterly worthless, just as the 'Night Parade of One Hundred Demons' has already begun, yet He has left no trace."

These words struck a chord with everyone. The Judge are tools for maintaining order in the Reincarnation Game, not for slaughtering players. Who dares to say that Taiyi, the Judge of the Valhalla, will jump out to help?

It will be a brutal war, and they will pay the price. Perhaps even the Grand Inquisitor will fall. If Taiyi stands idly by, wouldn't it become a war between the Judge and Valhalla?

Another advantage is that all five Heroic Spirit Kings are Epic Rank II or higher players; how could someone of that level be easily captured alive?

They gained nothing and even caused other factions to feel sorry for each other; what a loss!

"You mean to continue observing?"

"No, Lord Boros." Aizen nodded slightly to Xingchen, who had spoken, and said slowly, "We must separate the faction from Taiyi, find Him, or even just a fragment, to follow the clues and complete the mission."

The starry sky fell silent for a moment, followed by laughter that was sometimes cold, sometimes arrogant, and sometimes sarcastic.

Isn't that obvious? If they could find it, would they be scratching their heads like this?

Aizen didn't care about the harsh laughter; when faced with a cunning and nightmarish opponent, there was no easy way.

"Do not indiscriminately expand the scope of the attack; even if direct intervention is necessary, it must be focused on worthy targets."

"Take 'Nighttime Murder' for example. Could 'Land of Life and Death,' 'Magical Girl,' 'Battle Maniac,' or even 'The End World' be suspects?"

"Mebius's uncooperative attitude is very strange. Is there some kind of deal involved?"

"If we expand further, should we include Espers and the Anthropomorphic Front, who have all had pleasant conversations with Li Dan, in the trial?"

"The trial mission is limited to ten years in the Borderlands. We've spent so many resources, and we still haven't figured out 'Taiyi's' strength. It's laughable."

With each word Aizen spoke, the laughter subsided, until finally, a deathly silence descended. He was right; broadening the scope of the attack would only prolong the conflict, but it still wouldn't solve the core problem.

Where exactly is Taiyi, or rather, the fragments of Taiyi?

"Sōsuke Aizen, what are your thoughts?"

"I have no particular thoughts, I'm just reminding everyone to stay calm and not make any irreparable mistakes." Aizen said this, but took the opportunity to ask, "Hundred Eyes, how's the investigation into the Thorny Rose going?"

[78 relevant players have been identified. After contacting them, no issues related to 'Taiyi' were found. A second verification is underway for key individuals, and no abnormalities have been found.]

[This faction is very strange, but surprisingly, no relevant information was found during the scan of the entire Borderlands.]

[It is speculated that this faction was one of the impacts of the Great Cataclysm, where the original faction was destroyed and subsequent players inherited the relevant privileges.]

"Then let's bring them back. It's too much trouble to investigate an entire camp remotely."

"That clears them of suspicion?"

"Without clearing it out, the Thorny Rose does have many strange features, but since we can't find any clues, it's essentially meaningless," Aizen explained.

Unable to enter the Outpost, the players I found were clueless and idiotic, some even believing that the Outpost was supposed to be as unusual as they were, with unique faction talents, which remained unexplained even after soul dissection.

After conducting sociological research on all players, 'the mercy of the Reincarnation Game's became the only explanation, because these ordinary people who had never been exposed to any Transcendental Grade powers before entering the game should not have become players in the first place.

As for whether it's out of pity, the Reincarnation Game in a state of mental disability won't answer that.

Most importantly, the Thorny Rose is too weak. The strongest player to date has only reached Monster III, which doesn't seem like it's inheriting the legacy of 'Taiyi'.

"Re-establish several key targets, investigate them, and make a judgment after confirming the existence of 'Taiyi'. Since we have to get involved, we should at least gain enough."

Aizen tossed out a scroll, which unfurled in the air. It contained a list of factions and specific players that had been recorded beforehand. The list was large, but pitifully small compared to the countless factions.

"Keep a close eye on these factions. If we can confirm the existence of 'Taiyi,' then we'll have a clue, won't we?"

Samurai Kingdom, Valhalla, War Orphans, Mechanical Believers, Aether Particles...

Whether enemy or ally, all factions that had come into contact with Yuki were listed. Without any threads of Destiny or causal chains, it would be difficult for the Hundred Eyes of True Knowledge to track down these people, but it was not impossible.

"What if we determine that He belongs to a certain camp?"

"Then we'll find Him at all costs, even if it means digging three feet into the ground," Aizen replied without hesitation.

"There's no other way, everyone. How about we hand this over to Aizen?" A cold voice offered a suggestion.

"He's smarter than me, I agree."

"Okay, this is too much trouble."

I agree.

The fact that the Judge had no appointed leader made it seem quite democratic. Aizen and bowed, expressing his gratitude for this trust, and a smile appeared on his face as he bowed.

Don't let me down. This is your chance, and my chance too.

So this is the aftermath of 'Taiyi'.

Yuki sat in the tea room, flipping through the intelligence in his hand. This influence was very strange. How to put it? It was as if a taboo existence that had been erased had suddenly gained a sense of existence.

Yes, a sense of existence is like a story without a protagonist, like Shiki Ryougi going through countless hardships, not only failing to find a way out, but not even knowing who this path belongs to.

"Good thing. Those mad dogs from the Judge were chasing me, but now I have more targets, and I don't know who to bite next."

Yuki picked up his teacup and took a sip. This intelligence network was exactly what he needed. Otherwise, it would be dangerous for him to investigate on his own, not to mention that it would be difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood. So he nodded slightly to the young woman across the table.

"Miss Ryougi Shiki, I'm sorry to have troubled you."

"It was I who chose this path, and I am even more grateful for your trust." Shiki Ryougi smiled faintly, not expecting Yuki to dare to come.

The Judge's long-desired target was sitting right in front of her. If she could win him over, she'd probably agree to any condition. But as long as she could go home, she didn't care about any conditions anymore.

So this is the legendary Taiyi.

Shiki Ryougi has regained her sense of presence, knows who this path belongs to, and learns from Yuki's narration that this path is achievable.

It is confirmed that the Reincarnation Game no longer has the ability to directly interfere; it is confirmed that the path for reincarnators to return has been severed.

Yuki didn't tell Shiki Ryougi about her relationship with Taiyi, but those two Shiki Ryougi.

Crucial intelligence brought the enemy from the unimaginable and indescribable to within sight, transforming the unknown into the known, and giving people the courage to resist.

Without these two pieces of intelligence, anyone who wanted to defy the game's will would be hesitant, or rather, would proceed cautiously, making steady progress day by day. And those who dared to do so were mostly eliminated by the Judge.

"I don't have to worry about being suddenly eliminated for going against my will, nor do I have to worry about a legendary or higher-level player popping up and crushing me with overwhelming power."

"I might not be telling the truth," Yuki joked, holding his teacup.

"No, your very existence is the strongest proof." Shiki Ryougi shook her head, clearly lacking any sense of humor.

If the Reincarnation Game had its own consciousness, it would have already smashed Yuki's head in, and there would be no reason to let him grow up. Besides that, there's also gratitude towards Taiyi.

Without this pioneer, all reincarnation players would be livestock in a farm, struggling desperately just to become weapons of war.

"Over the years, I have many like-minded friends who need someone to lead them."

The young woman's eyes were filled with expectation, Yuki quickly shook his head.

"I can't do this, not because of any ability. Those mad dogs are relentlessly attacking me; I can't afford to stand out."

"Indeed, the enemy is strong and we are weak; it would be too dangerous for you to step forward." Shiki Ryougi did not insist, explaining, "You will attract their attention, and we can use this opportunity to make contact."

"Me, the bait?" Yuki never imagined that he, a fisherman, would one day become bait.

"No, it's like bait for each other. I'm actually really looking forward to the Judge judging Valhalla, but there's been no sign of it."

Shiki Ryougi isn't afraid of causing trouble at all. This will make everyone in the Borderlands feel insecure, creating a huge force. At that time, those neutral parties will stand on her side.

Each faction and each player has different thoughts. Some want to leave the nightmare, some are attracted by the power, and many others don't care. Whether you leave the game or pursue power is none of my business.

'This is a strategic game, but the Judge aren't stupid; they can see the consequences. Without solid evidence, why would they take action?'

Yuki immediately felt no guilt. After thinking for a moment, he shook his head and said, "It's not time yet. I need to figure out exactly how to escape the Reincarnation Game. I need time before that, and I absolutely cannot get caught."

He had already read the Judge's file; that power was comparable to ten Valhalla, something he simply couldn't resist.

Taiyi didn't know how many 'seeds' he had left behind or how many backup plans he had made, but it would be meaningless if he died.

"We'll buy you some time; don't worry about Mona or your companions being tracked by the Hundred Eyes of True Knowledge."

"Oh? You have a way?" Yuki leaned forward. This was the thing that bothered him the most. Anyone could tell that the Judge would be tracking key figures.

"Probability reversal, causal obscuring, misdirection, even the dumbest direct disguise are all possible. The Judge's resources are not unlimited, and it is impossible to repeatedly monitor a few people." Shiki Ryougi, seemingly very experienced, and gracefully picked up the kettle to Yuki's water.

"Furthermore, 'Taiyi' has begun to recover. What kind of impact do you think this will have?"

"Countless players will spontaneously pursue this secret, and depending on their progress, some of them will also be added to the list." Yuki's eyes lit up; there was no shortage of 'Adventurers' in the Borderlands.

When an epic-level player falls, people will try every means to enter the instance where they fell, as the soul materials alone are priceless.

In Western fantasy, it's called treasure hunting; in cultivation, it's called exploring secret realms. The prestige of 'Taiyi' is many times higher than that of epic-level players, and there are plenty of reckless gold diggers.

"Hmm, once the incident escalates and more and more players begin searching for 'Taiyi,' we can remain hidden behind the scenes and see how much energy these Judge have left."

Yuki looked at the documents in his hand. Just as Aizen was lost in thought, he finally obtained the detailed information on the Judge.

The twelve Grand Inquisitors are all powerful players at Epic III or higher, while the weakest Judge is Monster III. They can be considered a special faction, and even the five Valhalla are no match for them in terms of sheer strength.

That's not all. They also have assistants and potential allies, such as players who desperately crave power. 'Taiyi's' actions have effectively cut off their path to advancement.

Yuki detests the endless war, but there are always those who revel in it.

The disparity in strength may seem hopeless, but upon closer examination, it is full of opportunities. Just like the Yin and Yang poles, Yuki also has many potential allies. As for the Judge themselves, their unique selection mechanism and missions have created enemies everywhere.

The most unique one is the Hundred Eyes of True Knowledge; we need to find an opportunity to severely damage it.

"Just hold out for now. After a while, they won't be able to spare any more time. If there are thousands of key targets, then it's pointless."

Yuki's mind worked quickly, and he immediately came up with a solution: to remain unchanged in the face of all changes and see how they tracked him if he didn't enter the instance. Of course, he wouldn't choose to lie down and give up at this stage.

"Miss Ryougi Shiki, I have two questions for you."

"Please speak."

"The first thing is, why don't you give Mona a lot of points? With her resources, she should have reached her limit long ago, and even an epic achievement wouldn't be difficult for her."

Mona had been absent-minded, looked up, not understanding how she had suddenly been brought up.

"Any shortcut will come at a price. If you don't take action yourself, this shortcut will inevitably run into problems sooner or later, because there is only one ironclad rule in this Reincarnation Game: only killing and plundering are beyond question."

Shiki Ryougi's voice was like a clear spring, and she spoke rather cryptically. Yuki thought for several seconds before nodding gently.

He understood; this was about the channels for acquiring points, meaning that every point had a price to pay and every point had a source.

The Reincarnation Game encourages infighting and the breeding teams, as power is earned through strength. Even those who trade in the Borderlands are not affected; they have completed difficult tasks and gained the qualifications.

The game is fair. Yuki can complete quests for the Valhalla to earn corresponding rewards, but she cannot ask Shiki Ryougi to lend her 100,000 points to spend.

'This aligns with what Taiyi said. I remember He once said that giving always comes at a price, while only plundering is without burden.'

Yuki nodded, then asked, "The second thing is, how can I quickly improve my strength?"

He has also reached a bottleneck. It's not just a matter of points; items and skills are starting to have special requirements. For example, level 6 items require prerequisites, and legendary skills are the same. Take the Reinforcement Magecraft, for instance; its requirement is to exceed the skill Limit at least three times.

"It's still that ironclad rule: fighting and plundering are unshakeable. Do you know why it's so hard for epic-level players to advance?" Shiki Ryougi rested her chin on her hand, answering her own question, "It's simple, the opponents are rare."

Oh, so you can't bomb fish ponds, right? If you want to level up quickly, you have to find opponents who are also at the Epic level.

Yuki roughly understood; this was the difficult part because epic-level players usually only meet in dungeons, and generally choose to cooperate.

"So what about the powerful enemies inside the dungeon?"

"I forgot to tell you, the frequency of missions will decrease after you advance to Epic rank."

Yuki raised an eyebrow, then nodded thoughtfully. At his level, he already knew that each instance wasn't some virtual reality game, but a real world. The resources of the Reincarnation Game were also limited; there weren't that many high-difficulty worlds for the big shots to play in.

"How about forming teams downwards?"

"The gap between the two sides cannot be too large, and forcibly increasing the difficulty will have unimaginable consequences. For example, the Reincarnation Game could have its settings altered, adding conditions that force players to kill each other, turning natives who should be allies into mortal enemies, etc. Do you understand what I mean?"

Damn it, I know it all too well.

Yuki's journey was filled with abnormal dungeons, constantly facing targeted Reincarnation Game. In a way, this setting was a good thing for him.