Chapter 428
He admired the lively atmosphere before him, which gave him the illusion of entering a Western fantasy-style dungeon. He looked to the side with interest and saw that Frieren was chatting with a heavily armored swordsman. This was 'Leos,' the owner of the Delicious in Dungeon, a young man with short blond hair.
Like himself and the Tyrant, they had cooperated in a certain instance, and now that they had 'coincidentally' met again, they naturally had a lot to talk about.
"Yes, I hid. By chance, I joined Mr. Thomas's team, went through a dungeon, fought several skirmishes, and finally reached the monster level."
"Congratulations, Miss Frieren. Once you advance to the monster level, you'll be under the protection of the sage." The swordsman clapped lightly, thinking to himself that Frieren was quite lucky. Finding reliable teammates in the Aether Particles was too difficult. He smiled and turned away.
"I've worked with Miss Frieren before and we're friends. She had a grudge against the Monster Front, and I didn't want to cause trouble, so I didn't help her. But why aren't you afraid?"
The swordsman is very sincere; ordinary players really don't need to get involved in the feuds between the seven major factions.
"Because we come from the same hometown, where elves are very rare, and my master and her teacher happen to be elves," Yuki replied casually, his new disguise already perfectly crafted.
Elves are a common race in the Aether Particles, appearing in over a hundred worlds, making the world like 'The Burial of Frieren' rather special.
"So you're from the same hometown, that makes sense." The swordsman paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "What are your next steps?"
"Back to normal, prepare for the next dungeon. The Monster Front is focused on finding the Hidden Sage, they shouldn't have the energy to pay attention to me." Frieren remained rational and calm, skillfully rejecting the olive branch offered to him.
"A wise judgment has been made, but the balance of the 'Aether Particles' has been broken by the Hidden Sage, and no player can remain unscathed."
"Since the fall of the 'god,' we've gotten used to this kind of life. Some powerful players would rather relocate to the Borderlands," Yuki replied with a smile, looking shrewd. "The Monster Front couldn't break the balance before, and they still can't now. Every major power has several allied factions, unless someone introduces an overwhelming force."
An overwhelming force, few and far between among countless factions.
The casual assumption brought a clear look of worry to the swordsman's face, but he didn't reveal any secrets. He bowed slightly and said, "You can think about it some more. Miss Frieren knows where to find me. By the way, the Ancient Magician also comes from a world where elves are quite rare. Perhaps you'll have something in common."
He left right after he finished speaking. Judging from the timeline, Frieren was at most Monster I. Even if Captain Thomas was stronger, he wouldn't have to beg for mercy.
"It seems they know whose orders the Monster Front is carrying out, and they've also deduced that the Aether Particles are hiding a huge problem." Yuki cut the grilled meat; this stuff, originating from some monster, was incredibly chewy.
He put it in his mouth and chewed, letting the golden juices fill his mouth. Frieren, being a native, knew which places had official backing.
"You still care about his last words?"
"Hmm, a little, but I was too weak before to hear this secret from that person. Could it be that the Ancient Magician really came from the same world as me?"
"Yes, we have some history together. Would you like to meet?"
Frieren was taken aback, wondering what gave Yuki such a certain judgment. After thinking for a while, he shook his head.
"No need. Even if we come from the same hometown, we're not on the same timeline, so it's meaningless."
She'd seen plenty of cases where fellow villagers met and then stabbed each other in the back, and besides, she already had a more reliable protector.
Your connection is quite significant; she'll most likely give you face.
The words were on the tip of his tongue, but Yuki didn't say them. It wasn't time yet, so he continued cutting the meat, listening to Frieren's question.
"Leos can connect with the Sage's Tower, why doesn't he just join them?"
"First, my disguise can't withstand scrutiny, and others aren't stupid either; the more they contact me, the less discreet I become. Second, I want a chaotic stage, not a one-sided massacre."
Yuki had already considered this: if the Hidden Sage were confirmed to belong to the Sage's Tower, the Judge would uproot them and consolidate the remaining forces of the Aether Particles. Wouldn't that be shooting himself in the foot?
What he wanted was suspicion, testing, and chaos, to involve the Judge in the factional war, but not to fully engage them, so that they would always be hesitant to act, constantly weighing the costs, and ultimately making the wrong decisions.
Frieren didn't understand the intricacies of the situation, but he knew perfectly well that doing as he was told was the right thing to do.
"What do we do next?"
"Eat, drink, and have fun, make your presence felt, and then wait." Yuki transferred 10 points to a Dwarves waiter and patted the bits of meat off his trench coat.
He had always been curious about one thing: killing the Sloth Bishop granted him access to the 'Aether Particles,' so why didn't Ulquiorra gain the same advantage?
Is it because the Judge faction is special? Or is that Arrancar's level not high enough?
Yuki to his word, Yuki did nothing extra and focused on taking Frieren on a journey through the Aether Particles.
From the tranquil magic town to the Sky City of the Hero Kingdom, I've gazed upon the legendary Doom Volcano and wandered the outskirts of the Great Tomb.
Similar to the Thorny Rose, the Outpost of the Aether Particles is also infinitely large and can also be exchanged for countless resources from the game, seemingly possessing all the conditions of a paradise on earth.
However, one resource remains limited: the players. Powerful players form factions and settlements, using powerful Chaos Item to protect their companions and shelter their followers, while weaker players can only wander in the outskirts, making this magical world fraught with danger.
Even the weakest player represents points; killing them, plundering items, and stealing soul materials are the only ways to become stronger besides dungeons.
But for Yuki, it was a rather novel experience, Epic Metamorphosis. Soul Mimicry allowed him to simulate various energies, and after getting used to the local customs, he became a true Aether Particles player.
This disguise is flawless; the only weakness lies with Frieren. However, in the chaotic Aether Particles, no one has the time to investigate a pure mage, at least not right now.
"I'm increasingly convinced you're bribing me."
The warm sunlight streamed in from the sky. Sitting in the small town of the Adventurers' Guild, Frieren blew bubbles into his pomegranate juice-like drink through a straw.
Aside from eliminating the robbers during her journey, she didn't feel like she was involved in a war, and the man opposite her, lazily basking in the sun with a book in his hand, didn't seem like he was playing a grand game.
"What good would it do me to bribe you?" Yuki flipped through the book without looking up. He was experiencing the customs and culture of the other faction, and the more he experienced, the greater his malice towards the Reincarnation Game became.
This was purely a man-made disaster. Along the way, he had seen elves who were even more lewd than succubi, and cunning priests. Among them were many familiar faces who, in his memory, should have been honest and kind.
But they had no choice; both inside and outside the instance, most factions were focused on turning people into demons.
"I'll help you fool Mai Sakurajima- senpai," Frieren said nonchalantly, then subconsciously looked away when he saw several Adventurers hurrying by carrying a severed hand.
"I don't know why, but things I used to be used to have suddenly become disgusting."
"This shows you're transitioning from a player to a normal person." Yuki glanced at the Adventurers, who were clearly off 'grinding monsters'.
"Hmm, even if you asked me to go back to the Aether Particles now, I wouldn't want to."
Even becoming a lord?
"What's so great about being a lord? How many lords have we seen hunted down by their own people along the way?" Frieren stretched comfortably, gazing at the sky in a daze. "It feels like I'm back in the old days of traveling, when having a guide was extremely important."
Unintentionally, she compared Yuki to Frieren. Both were powerful, rational, and equally incompetent in life. Of course, the former was more cruel and insidious, and at times resembled a demon.
This journey extends into the Reincarnation Game; how should I put it, the goal remains the same and clear.
Yuki smiled, closed the book, and took a sip of the drink that tasted somewhat like cola. "Whether in the past or present, you are a participant in the journey, and you are constantly growing."
Frieren is not far from Monster III, and the combat system has been set up. They have made some progress in those two missions and achieved some epic achievements. Next, they will level up step by step.
This is one of the reasons he intervened with the Aether Particles; he needed enough targets to distract the Judge.
"By the way, we've covered most of the Outpost area. Which factions do you think are worth taking advantage of?"
Are they finally going to make their move?
Frieren sat up slightly, quickly snapping out of his daze. They had intelligence provided by Valhalla and had verified it on-site.
"The Sage's Tower and the Warrior Kingdom are considered the most orderly, neutral and lawful?"
"Well, at least there are laws governing their territory, preventing players from fighting each other at will. This indirectly proves that their leadership is intentionally resisting the erosion of the Reincarnation Game." Yuki shrank back and lit a cigarette.
"This is an open secret in the Borderlands, but not many people are willing to do it."
"Why?" Frieren asked humbly, explaining that she felt a hundred times more comfortable in the Thorny Rose than here.
"If we make players too comfortable, they'll easily become complacent. That's neither good nor bad, and it drains their energy. It's better to let them off the hook completely and rule them with a simple survival-of-the-fittest approach." Yuki flicked his cigarette ash. For example, he would delegate tasks to people like One Leaf Foretells Autumn, but without full Pioneer privileges, no one could do it well.
How do you manage Outpost while conquering dungeons and fighting against other factions?
Human energy is limited. If it weren't for Taiyi paving the way, Yuki would have given up long ago. As long as his subordinates fight like idiots, he wouldn't pose a threat to him.
"Those who resist the game's corruption aren't necessarily good people, but they definitely don't like the Reincarnation Game." He thought for a moment, then mentally checked off two boxes. "These two factions haven't bothered to find me; instead, they're preparing for war. They've figured out the Judge behind Deathwing."
"Yes, they fear that the search for the Hidden Sage is a pretense, and their real intention is to eliminate dissidents. Therefore, the other three factions are also observing. If the Judge truly participate in the faction war, they will unite."
After several days, Yuki had finally figured out what was going on with the chaotic 'Aether Particles'.
The Sage's Tower, the Warrior Kingdom, the Monster Front, and the Great Tomb are enemies, each harboring many of the other's wanted criminals, making peace impossible.
Adventurers' Guilds, Knights' Order, Scavengers, and a whole host of smaller factions are neutral. They are happy to maintain the status quo and cannot accept the existence of a real 'god' above them.
The leaders of the seven major factions are at least Epic Tier II, making them stronger than the Valhalla Heroes on paper.
It is precisely because of this disorganized state that this balance is difficult to break, but now, because of 'Taiyi', a behemoth has entered the scene.
Every faction has allies; this is a huge network of relationships, covering dozens of factions in the Borderlands. Now, many factions that have received the news are watching the Aether Particles, wanting to see what the Judge is up to.
"Their status is too special. Apart from judging a specific player, they shouldn't participate in faction wars. It's like a referee in a football match—how can they go off and play the game themselves?"
Yuki, a cigarette dangling from his lips, huddled in his chair, his mind racing.
In theory, no one cares if the Judge track down their targets; they might even provide assistance if given enough benefits. But the problem now is that they can't find them, yet they absolutely must, and they can only rely on the local indigenous people.
Deathwing isn't stupid; of course he'll use their power in return. He's already eliminated several small and medium-sized factions under the guise of harboring the Hidden Sage.
"It doesn't make sense. They should know the risks of interfering in the internal affairs of other factions, yet they're still going their own way."
"Perhaps they were so eager to find you that they decided to eliminate you if you couldn't complete the task within the allotted time?" Frieren offered a plausible hypothesis.
Yuki nodded slightly. This must be one of the reasons. The Reincarnation Game doesn't give anyone a chance to slack off. Now that the enemy has taken action, it's time to let them keep betting.
The first step is to show that the Hidden Sage resides in the Aether Particles.
The second step is to link the Hidden Sage with Taiyi, providing solid evidence to force them to go all in.
"How's the effort to build a sense of presence going?"
"Over 2,000 players have seen us, and I've even run into four players I've worked with before. The chain of evidence is complete enough." Frieren stroked the glass, then asked somewhat guiltily, "Won't you get me killed?"
"Don't worry, the Judge can monitor every Aether Particles player, whether they're participating in dungeons or traveling to the Borderlands, but it's useless against you."
Why?
"Since you never participated in the Aether Particles mission, how could they monitor you?" Yuki revealed a sinister smile; he had already considered this.
The Mushroom people in the Thorny Rose are participating in the senior students' mission, which has absolutely nothing to do with the Aether Particles.
"After laying the groundwork for so long, it's time to give them some solid evidence." Yuki glanced at Frieren, who was letting out a long sigh of relief, and stood up.
How should I give it to you?
"Simple." Yuki stubbed out his cigarette and walked out of town.
"Killing him is enough."
Chapter Seven: Dio Brando
They had been targeted long ago. Their actions were reckless. The two of them teamed up, and because of the Epic Metamorphosis, it was difficult to judge Yuki's strength, while Frieren had already been the focus of attention.
Monster II is already considered a fairly strong character among all factions, which suggests that she must possess items of level 5 or higher.
There are naturally no wild monsters in the Outpost, so why is there an Adventurers' Guild there? The reason is quite simple:
Players are like monsters in the wild; battles are the adventure.
The situation is complicated. A Monster II player wandering around outside is bound to arouse suspicion, but they didn't think of the 'Hidden Sage' at all, since Frieren's background is anything but secretive.
The unseen intelligence network quickly uncovered Frieren's past, including where the two had been and whether they belonged to a particular faction, and the results were reassuring.
He's just a casual player. If he were stronger, he could build a town in the wilderness, attach himself to a powerful force, become a lord, and rise to the ranks of the 'Aether Particles' elite.
But now, they're like mobile bosses; killing them drops gold coins.
"Five teams of players are following us, including some monster-level scouts. We haven't been able to shake them off even after several attempts."
The magic rippled outwards, transmitting information back from the wasteland.
"It's not just five teams. Detection magic is too common in Aether Particles. There are a hundred ways to evade detection." Yuki leaned against a dead tree covered with human faces, gazing at the brown wasteland.
The land is covered with jagged rocks, with only a few sparse trees resembling human faces. Ten Borderlands ago, this place was also a player settlement. They were wiped out, and most of the players died, which was common in all factions.
Looking at the map, this wilderness is right between the Adventurers' Guild and the Great Tomb. At the Outpost, the size of the territory is meaningless; only where players gather is there any life.
Similarly, distance was meaningless. Yuki saw that the stone was covered with strange patterns. This was not performance art, but spatial imprints left by powerful players.
Too many years have passed, too many people have perished, and the players who left their mark are probably long gone, leaving only strange tombstones scattered all over the ground.
"You've had a good time these past few days, haven't you?" Yuki asked to himself, catching the somewhat nervous Frieren off guard.
The trip, which lasted for several days, wasn't exactly enjoyable, but it was very relaxing. We visited one charming town after another, sampled local delicacies, sipped some wine, listened to the songs of wandering bards, and then headed to the next destination.
Looking back, even Mai Sakurajima probably never experienced such leisure, and suddenly felt a guilty feeling that she had gotten the better deal.
"It's passable, since there are some places I haven't been to before."
"Tsk, where did you learn such a bad habit?" Yuki curled his lip, leaning against a tree. "Your pleasant journey ends here. Go and start fighting some monsters, then head to the Borderlands. Someone will pick you up and take you home."
Unlike Yuki, Frieren had to go through the Borderlands to get back to Thorny Rose. The coordinates of the Borderlands, which were connected by the Aether Particles, had already been tracked, but there were too many players coming and going, and it was impossible to keep a close watch on everyone. As long as she got rid of the tracking, she could go home and let the Judge dig three feet into the ground.
"Understood." Frieren picked up his staff and walked away, turning back after a few steps. "By the way, should Mai Sakurajima save some dinner for you?"