Chapter 454

"The Undead are neither particularly strong nor weak. They focus more on corrupting an area with death, making them good at defense but lacking in offense. Leaving their own territory is very risky."

"No, it's because you have a special item that provides high resistance to curses. Otherwise, the curse would be enough to cause mutual destruction. That's why the Angels are unwilling to send troops to wipe them out. For an immortal race, it's not worth it to trade with a group of undead that can be resurrected at any time." Ikaros finally said a long string of words, then lowered his head slightly.

"Also, I want to thank you for covering for me, Mr. Rod."

When the Death Aggregate had no hope of escape, it decisively used a curse attack. It was Yuki who jumped out to block the attack for it. Ikaros felt the chill of death; it was a rule that all things, whether organic or inorganic, carbon-based or silicon-based, would follow and move towards death.

Wow, you actually know how to express gratitude. Looks like your friends have taught you well.

Yuki somewhat surprised, but replied with a smile, "Then please keep it a secret for me."

"What kind of secret?"

"Everything."

Ikaros paused for a moment, then nodded solemnly. She had a feeling that this person had deliberately come to hunt down the Judge.

[The Death Aggregate has fallen; player Yuki; participation rate is 67%; reward: 6 Specialization Points]

The murmurs broke the silence, interrupting their thoughts, or rather, sparking new ones.

Hmm, this Taiyi from when we defeated the Orcs.

Yuki immediately realized the problem: humans hadn't received any related improvements, and he hadn't gained any special skills either. After thinking about it, he roughly understood.

The Undead are quite unique; their settlements are everywhere, and they don't have a specific agent. Wherever there is war, there is death, and death creates undead. It's almost impossible to wipe them out.

"Miss Ikaros, what is your reward?"

"Four specialization points." Ikaros showed obvious joy. This gain was huge for her; she couldn't have achieved it on her own.

The fact that the two of them could face the Death Aggregate alone was something the Machine Race risked their lives for. How could a mere player possibly drive the war? It was Yuki escorting the Machine Soul, that earned him merit and benefit.

Even in a one-on-one fight, she was no match for the Death Aggregate.

Thank you again.

Yuki waved his hand, unconcerned with such formalities, but his gaze toward Ikaros showed a hint of interest.

In this battle, he finally understood why Ikaros was assigned to the powerful Machine Race; it turned out to be a pseudo-epic.

Her Epic Metamorphosis, 'Angel Descent,' is a phased ability. Normally, she's rated as a top-tier Monster IV, but it unlocks gradually as the intensity of battle increases, eventually reaching Epic I.

It's a clever qualitative change, but the Reincarnation Game is fair. If the two were to fight one-on-one, do you think Yuki would give her the time to unlock it?

"Miss Ikaros, your Epic Metamorphosis is not meant to be undertaken alone."

"Yes, I need cover before I reach Phase III, but I don't want to involve my friends."

"So you're lucky, at least in this instance, I'll protect your back." Yuki extended his hand.

Ikaros stood there, staring at the hand extended to his chest. He hesitated for a few seconds before shaking it.

"OK."

As the saying goes, time reveals true character. Yuki didn't have that much time to get to know each other, and the most efficient form of communication was through battle.

Ikaros is a player with a magical, technological background; her strengths lie in precise calculations and overwhelming firepower. As for the other aspect, Yuki wants to see the true quality of the Machine Race.

War machine.

This is Yuki's assessment: in team battles or one-on-one duels, even the Destroyer Machine Race is only at the Monster II level. However, they are numerous, have strong firepower, and their teamwork is Muken.

Battleships, turrets, destructive mechs, elite soldiers, and all sorts of mass-produced cannon fodder—thousands upon thousands of machines flooded the canyon, fearless of death, and unmoved by the fall of their comrades.

Iron filings floated in the air, and the Undead had a unique way of killing: they rusted machinery into powder, filling the valley with a grayish-brown mist.

Om was directing his troops to clean up the battlefield, not communicating like humans, nor shouting after a victory.

Everything was quiet. The machines moved by coldly, carrying away their damaged comrades and finishing off the undead. There were no reports, and the Machine Soul that had gained command authority received precise information about the losses within a second.

"A total of 3,372 war machines were damaged, of which 1,750 were beyond repair. The rest will be thrown back into the melting pot for more efficient reconstruction."

"The biggest gain is that the Titan mechs and mechanical warships suffered relatively low damage. Calculating the loss ratio confirms that Om has achieved a decisive victory. This is added to the database, and Om's command capabilities are upgraded."

The Machine Soul was overjoyed, but Yuki, who was quietly listening to the report, shook his head.

"Since it's a victory, you should be happier."

"Rejected. My calculations before the battle even began determined the probability of defeat to be 0.001%. Why be happy about a battle we're guaranteed to win?" Om turned his head, paused for a moment, and then gave a stiff smile.

"But since it was the clumsy Mr. Rod who pleaded, Om reluctantly agreed."

Damn, how did it turn into me begging?

If it weren't for the several massive Titan mechs watching over them, Yuki would have definitely given this idiot Machine Soul a good whack on the head. He had figured out that these machines were both honest and cunning.

The fact that the Undead guarded their gates and were wiped out so easily shows that they had this intention before, but the Netway Will was unwilling to risk exchanging their resources.

The Undead are a bunch of stinking leeches; eliminating them isn't difficult, but nobody wants to bear the losses.

"The Machine Race received a reward for defeating one of the largest Undead settlements."

"Hmm? What reward?" Yuki raised an eyebrow. He finally understood. The main force of this expedition was actually the Machine Race, and he was only responsible for killing generals and capturing flags. No wonder the humans didn't get any benefits.

"Wait a moment, let me think about how to explain."

Yuki listened quietly and soon understood. It was a kind of resistance to 'death'. According to the Machine Race, it meant that even after being completely destroyed, one could still move for a short time.

Battle Continuation?

He licked his lips, not regretting that he hadn't brought humans with him. On one hand, with their current strength, humans could only serve as meat; on the other hand, Yuki had never even considered this skill.

What's the point of continuing the journey when the person is already dead?

Yuki looked up and saw several golden giant ships circling in the sky, surrounded by pure white angels with two wings, confronting the Machine Race's steel-colored, octopus-like warships.

"The Angels have indeed arrived."

"Indeed, Om has received a meeting request, which makes sense."

Because of the threat of 'death', the Angels had long wanted to take action against this canyon, but they had to be wary of being attacked from both sides by the Machine Race, and they couldn't afford to lose an Archangel of the eighth ring or above, so they had been keeping a watchful eye on it.

It's a pleasant surprise that the Machine Race has taken the initiative to attack. Of course, in the eyes of the proud angels, this is just 'giving you a chance to negotiate because you're so sensible.'

At this stage of the Great Game, no race is a fool. The Machine Race must have deliberately made their move to seek contact. At this point, another benefit of Yuki bringing Om back became apparent.

Because of the special nature of the Machine Race, even if the angels took the initiative to make contact, the Netway Will dared not meet them. It was too important, and they did not want to take even a 0.01% risk.

"You're a perfect fit. The Divine Machine Soul holds a transcendent status, so even if you're used as bait, it won't cause irreparable damage. But you're also very valuable, making you a good hostage."

"The Netway Will isn't as malicious as Mr. Rod's; it's just a precise calculation of risk and reward." Om wrinkled his nose, his Machine Soul displeased. Of course, in terms of the result, the two were the same.

"Such a powerful Mr. Rod would surely protect the weak Om, wouldn't he?"

Damn it, now they know how to suck up.

"Don't worry, the Angels won't do anything to you, I promise."

"Okay, Om believes you."

Yuki opened his mouth, realizing that his long explanation hadn't come in handy, and shook his head. This stupid Machine Soul had actually learned to answer before him.

But there really wasn't a problem, because the Angels were his senior classmates; he was just a little confused.

"Why don't the races unite directly? Judging from the current situation, they seem to be inclined to do so."

"Because of the risks, clumsy Mr. Rod." Om, the snob, immediately changed his form of address, data flashing in his eyes, "In the database, there are 1087 assassinations resulting from alliances, 379 betrayals after alliances, and 32 races perished because of similar activities."

Yuki nodded; he knew that. He then asked, "But according to the rules of the Great Game, assistants can sign contracts, but they cannot break them."

[Tip 3: Defeating enemy races and players, or advancing your race's progress, will earn you rewards and increase your race's influence based on your contributions. If you sign a pact on behalf of your race, it cannot be broken.]

This is a hint, and also the rule of Great Game.

Om gave him a deep look and countered, "Aren't you, the assistants, even more scheming and intrigued?"

Yuki was immediately rendered speechless by the retort. His situation was a special case; normal players wouldn't be able to team up so easily. The 'Race Game' Taiyi from ordinary dungeons; weaker players were assigned to stronger factions and didn't need to rely on powerful teammates.

He was simply puzzled as to why there was still a willingness to cooperate given that the war had progressed to this point.

"No relevant information is found in Om's database. This indicates insufficient access. It is classified as top secret for any race. Correction: It is classified as top secret for a leading race."

The Machine Soul's answer disappointed Yuki somewhat. Humans were clearly not among the top contenders. The Corruption Angels like her seniors definitely couldn't obtain something like top secret. As for Om, they couldn't very well kill the Netway Will and let her inherit it.

"I am an assistant to humanity, and I shouldn't be involved in the negotiations between the Machine Race and the Angels in the first place. Given the arrogance of the angels, I'm afraid I might not be able to resist the urge to kill." Yuki wasn't the kind of coward who would smile when someone slapped him in the face; he simply stretched his neck.

"You'll take the lead on the follow-up plans. Miss Ikaros will also be involved. I've entrusted the contingency plans and overall strategy to you."

"Understood. So, is the clumsy Mr. Rod going back to the weak humans? Om thinks it's a waste of time. A bunch of trash can't help with this huge plan. It's better for Om to restrain him and give Mr. Rod more freedom of movement."

His amber eyes were filled with coldness. In the eyes of the Machine Soul, Rod was strictly distinguished from humans, and he felt no psychological burden whatsoever in locking the latter up in the steel the Jail like a hamster.

"No, I will use even the weakest power." Yuki had no intention of correcting the Machine Soul's values. He glanced at the tense standoff in the air and shook his head.

"Killing a bunch of people is nothing special; it's just a starting point. Whether it succeeds or not depends on you."

The Machine Soul remained calm.

Om nodded with a sense of mission. She knew the core objective of this meeting between the Machine Race and the Angels; killing was merely a pretext, the more important thing was to utilize a common enemy—

Let's talk about the future of Great Game.

After crossing mountains thousands of meters high, Yuki saw the azure 'ocean'.

With everything arranged, the rest of the plan was left to the Machine Soul to complete. Following the coordinates given by Frieren, Yuki trekked arduously all the way and finally arrived at this magical location on the edge of the outer ring.

Concentrating, he realized that what was in front of him was not the ocean, but some kind of azure energy particles, which filled the air and formed a beautiful mirage-like scene.

[The Energy Mirage Sea, one of the habitats of the Monster Race, is extremely dangerous.]

This is the description from the Machine Race database. Upon hearing the words "Monster Race," Yuki knew he had come to the right place.

The gang's actions stemmed from Yuki's cheat code; he had no sense of shame and, if he could, he would want all ten races to be his own, creating a united front.

Considering the formidable individual strength of the Monster Race, Yuki lingered outside the Energy Mirage Sea. This group was perfectly coordinated; since Frieren had provided the coordinates, even after twenty days, they would continue to closely monitor the outer perimeter.

Because they knew that Yuki would definitely come.

Patiently waiting and carefully observing, the gray-red sky grew increasingly dim, and the world became deathly silent.

No race dares to roam freely here. Like powdery earth, some remnants washed away by time stand like tombstones, silently telling the story of the Magical Beasts' terror.

Stepping in will surely mean certain death.

This was a warning sign from his intuition. Of course, Yuki wouldn't act rashly. After waiting for several more hours, he finally turned around.

"You've been here for a while, why didn't you come out?"

A phantom rose from the black powder, and upon closer inspection, a silver metal could be seen buried in the ground—a Chaos Item that was difficult to detect before activation.

"Because I haven't seen my brother for so long, I got so engrossed in watching him." Wearing a black and white dress, Mona leaned forward with her hands behind her back, a joyful smile on her face. "It's been 23 days and 17 hours since I last saw you. Did you miss Mona?"

"Enough with the nonsense, let's get down to business." Yuki clenched his fists. He had felt the watchful eyes on him for hours and had been on edge, ready to run away at any moment. It turned out that this little brat was just playing a trick on him.

"No, we've finally met again, serious business is so boring. Don't glare at me, it's just an illusion, you can't hit it." Mona crossed her arms, looking scared.

"So what do you want?"

"Just let Mona give you a good hug."

Mona wrinkled her nose and actually stepped out of the light and shadow, then buried her little head in Yuki's arms, causing his clenched fists to loosen unintentionally.

The girl felt wronged and scared. Being alone in the Monster Race was nothing like the carefree life of her seniors, and she couldn't be as busy as Yuki.

"Where's Frieren? Isn't she with you?" Yuki raised his hand, stroking her smooth black hair, as if he had returned to the Dark Night Continent.

Taiyi others, Mona truly relied on himself for a long time.

"She was assigned to a grumpy, smelly dragon that wanders around day and night. I'm all alone in the Energy Mirage Sea, and all those monsters are so strange. There's not even anyone to talk to," Mona said pitifully. For more than twenty days, she hadn't seen a single one of her kind.

"Thank you for your hard work." Yuki didn't know what to say.

"Well, seeing my elder brother has swept away all the unhappiness I've had these past few days." Mona's mood changed faster than turning the pages of a book; she suddenly burst into laughter, recounting her experiences as if telling a story.

It turned out that she was assigned to the side of the 'Storm Giant Whale' Mesodals, a giant whale bigger than a mountain. It wasn't tyrannical, but it was extremely lazy. It only woke up a few times in more than twenty days, turned over, and continued to sleep.

Because reputation with the Monster Race is calculated on an individual basis, Mona was forced to spend all her time staring at the giant whale and sleeping, which was incredibly boring. However, she still tried her best to complete the dungeons.

After spending several days, she discovered that the 'Storm Giant Whale' had a unique characteristic: it was extremely territorial.

Anyone who dares to disturb its sleep, even its own kind, will be dealt with ruthlessly. So it uses the Chaos Item in the 'treasure chest' to frantically test the limits of death, trying every possible way to contact the magical Magical Beasts in the Energy Mirage Sea. If it angers anyone, it runs back to the giant whale's side.

"There are probably dozens of Magical Beasts in the Illusionary Sea, the weakest of which are at least Monster III. That's their characteristic."