Chapter 498
That's a good thing. If there's Judge Yuki, he'll always have reservations and won't dare use many of his unique abilities.
The truth has not yet been revealed, and the setting of Taiyi having countless fragments cannot be broken.
After letting out another sigh of relief, he glanced at the door obscured by the light curtain. He wasn't in a hurry, waiting for the mission prompts while admiring the reliefs on the wall with great interest.
The content is quite abstract, but the carving technique is excellent. Even without knowing the background story, Yuki can still discern some clues.
Individuals radiating brilliant light surrounded a dense army, attacking bizarre monsters. Among them were creatures with short wings, resembling hybrids of Eastern and Western dragons, as well as bird-headed, human-bodied or winged beasts.
"Well, it was war, and then these monsters were defeated."
Yuki looked at the next mural, where the monsters lay on the ground, submitting to the individual figures in the sky. Further on, there were fewer scenes of war, and most of the paintings depicted the construction of cities and the planting of crops.
War, then victory, and finally peaceful and prosperous life?
Yuki pondered this, a self-deprecating smile crept across his face. Regardless of the world's backstory, the arrival of these plague-like players foreshadowed an impending storm, and there was no fundamental difference between Extraordinary and Epic tiers.
Having experienced the Race Game, Yuki actually developed some sympathy. In terms of misery, these characters trapped in the Truman Show were far more miserable than the players, which explains why many dungeons didn't treat players well.
This time it's another Destruction Mission.
Yuki took a breath. He didn't think he was kind, but he didn't think he was utterly wicked either. Why should he destroy a group of strangers and treat them like walking reward points?
"If possible, completing the experiment as soon as possible would be a relief for them."
Of course, this speed can only be achieved after the initial goal is completed. Besides experimenting, he also needs to improve his strength, and he certainly cannot sacrifice his own interests for the sake of the characters in the story.
I'm at about 25% progress in Epic Tier III. Tsk, it gets harder and harder as you go on. It takes a lot of points to improve even by one percent. But there's an easy way.
He climbed upwards, stepping over the corpses of other epic beings. To be honest, he had lost interest in monster-level opponents; the effort wouldn't yield much benefit.
"Fortunately, this dungeon should have quite a few epic-level enemies."
He glanced at the sculpture again. It was so lifelike that the folds of the divine robe were painted with pigments ground from mother-of-pearl. Every fold seemed to have an electric current running through it. There was no Transcendental Grade power on it, but he felt a sense of oppression.
[Start Game]
The sudden murmur brought Yuki back to his senses, and he listened intently.
[Destruction Mission, No One Survives]
[Background Story: The Great War between gods, demons, humans, and dragons has ended. Under the leadership of the six main gods, the gods achieved final victory, and humans, as accomplices, shared the spoils. The demons and dragons chose to submit. Among them, the dragons suppressed the most powerful and unruly Sea Demon in the Abyssal Sea, while most of the demons scattered throughout the various regions of the Hero Continent abided by the rules.]
[Any race can become a god through trials. Under this order, the world is generally peaceful, except for occasional disturbances by demons.]
Becoming a god is the common aspiration of the Hero Continent, a desire that would cleanse sins and bring unparalleled glory. Humans are the primary source of these gods; even the original six main gods were largely human. They are:
[The god of war, the god of the sky, the god of the earth, the god of the sea, the god of the underworld, and the God of Civilization.]
[The world operates under their will. Each chief god has their own pantheon, and one can join one through trials. Every 1000 years, the six chief gods take turns ruling the world. In this era, the Sky God reigns.]
Something's not right with this script...
Yuki raised an eyebrow. How come the Destruction Mission isn't set in a chaotic world? This background story sounds wonderful, or rather, a new order has already been established, so what's the point of destruction?
Extracting keywords and combining them with the murals on the wall will provide a reliable background introduction to the Reincarnation Game.
Order originated from a great war, after which the gods became the overlords and established core values.
The demons were defeated, but unlike the usual scenario, they didn't bide their time and prepare to cause trouble, at least most of them didn't. Apart from the Sea Demon that was suppressed, and a few that acted out of their nature, most of them behaved themselves, and there is a strong logical connection between the two.
"The gods here can actually be cultivated." Yuki caught the first key point. This was different from the usual division based on bloodline. Instead, it was more like the immortal system in Eastern fantasy.
Humans can become gods, demons can become gods, and dragons can become gods. This solves the problem of finding a way out, so there's no need to desperately seek revenge.
If it were a normal dungeon, Yuki might think it should revolve around the 'trial', but this is a destruction dungeon with a terrifying name like 'No One Survives,' so it will definitely not be as pleasant as the background story portrays it.
[Hint 1: Players will be assigned to different factions within different races, embarking on the path of trials from the very beginning. Revealing any hints is strictly prohibited and will result in elimination.]
[Hint 2: Depending on their role, players must eliminate at least one race, or three other races' factions. Elimination is calculated as a 95% or higher destruction rate. The Destiny of the world differs depending on the faction.]
[Hint 3: Defeating other players will grant you some of their random abilities]
[Tip 4: If your faction or race is wiped out, you will not be eliminated, but you will be punished.]
[Tip 5: Players can participate in trials to become gods and receive rewards. The deeper you go in the trials, the greater the rewards.]
[Tip 6: You can choose to return after achieving Tip 2, but the more enemies you eliminate, the higher the reward. If you choose to continue, you must achieve Tip 2 again.]
[Player Yuki, you have been assigned to the Edge Fortress Abyss Fortress. Information about this faction is being transmitted.]
[The dungeon will open in ten minutes.]
Yuki narrowed his eyes, each word radiating murderous intent. This was clearly an attempt to make the players into world-destroying demons, shattering the hard-won order of the Hero Continent.
This is Yuki dislikes most about the Reincarnation Game; it always twists the player's own thoughts, and the Destruction Mission leave the player with no choice whatsoever.
For example, the pacifist Kong has trapped you in a box, leaving you with no way to escape no matter how high your IQ is.
Yuki is not an idealist; in fact, he is a ruthless killer. He only utters a few complaints and then moves on, focusing more on the hints themselves.
This time, the hint is simple and straightforward, and there's no need for Hiyori discussions.
Hint 1 is easy to understand; there must be many factions under the four races, such as the pantheon, human kingdoms, demon tribes, and so on.
It would be very difficult to wipe out all of humanity, but destroying the three kingdoms is still within our capabilities.
"We'll investigate later to see what constitutes a 'faction.' Eliminating 95% basically wipes out the faction. But hints three and Hint Four are quite interesting."
Yuki sat on the soft carpet, lit a cigarette, and watched the gray smoke swirl around his fingertips, realizing that the Destruction Mission did indeed have its merits.
Players don't gain much from fighting each other because, in most cases, they can't rummage through each other's storage space, let alone plunder Transcendental Grade skills. Even if you have equipment, if there's a chance, the other person will overload and destroy it, and even if you die, it won't be a good deal for you.
Therefore, the rewards for defeating the Judge are quite good; with good luck, you can obtain complete items or skills.
"Furthermore, this is a setting completely different from 'Race Game,' which encourages infighting."
[Tip 4: If your faction or race is wiped out, you will not be eliminated, but you will be punished.]
This is crucial, as it means players can become hunters and move freely regardless of their assigned race, unlike Race Game where players are burdened with supporting characters.
Then, hint five is easy to understand; in a sense, it is also linked to hint four, meaning that the punishment received can be made up for in other ways.
"Tip 6 is trying to incite greed. At this level, players who know when to quit while they're ahead are always in the minority."
Yuki tilted his head slightly. Even if he had made the wrong choice, he had to grit his teeth and continue spreading destruction. He just didn't understand what this had to do with 'No One Survives'.
The names and content of the dungeons are related. For example, 'Bloodthirsty Red Moon' indicates the core strategy, 'Demon Hospital' explains the location of the dungeon, and 'Global Insect Calamity' explains the world view of the dungeon. 'Race Game' and 'Nighttime Murder' are self-explanatory; everything revolves around them.
"Over 95% destruction means, in a sense, No One Survives." That Yuki could think of for the time being. Surely, this 'person' didn't refer to humans.
What did humanity do to deserve being wiped out?
Forget it, let's just play and see.
Yuki stood up and heard a creaking sound. The metal door, covered with countless reliefs and seemingly made of pure gold, was slowly opening. He peeked out, not worried.
The core value of this world is to become a god through trials. Since the initial state comes with trials, it's naturally not disliked by people or even dogs.
As he expected, a group of beautiful young women in white dresses filed in. Their long hair was braided, and the dresses, which went past their knees, revealed their beautiful figures through the semi-transparent material. They carried golden platters in their hands, on which were placed some clothes and boots.
Unlike the maids, they wore short swords at their waists and leather boots that just reached their ankles beneath their skirts.
Abyss Fortress, the second line of defense against the Sea Demon, has long been at war with the Sea Demon that have escaped from the Abyss Grade. Fortunately, the dragons suppress the exits, preventing them from becoming a large-scale force, making it an impregnable fortress.
Upon receiving the relevant information, Yuki kept a close eye on the girls, not out of any impulsiveness, but to observe their combat strength.
'Even the maids have extraordinary strength; this dungeon's combat power is quite high.'
These girls were clearly in logistics, but their combat strength was not low. Yuki thought to himself that it was a good thing he hadn't let his seniors and the others come along.
"Your Excellency, the Ascended God, my name is Hathaway. I have come to help you change your clothes, as the War General requests your presence." The leading girl curtsied; she was also the most beautiful among them.
Her dazzling blonde hair reached her hips, her chest was high and full, and her blue eyes were as calm as the sea. When she smiled, she had two shallow dimples, which made her very approachable. In particular, her bright blue eyes were as tolerant as the ocean, able to forgive any mistakes or demands.
Yuki's eagerness was selective; if it were his senior or Hayasaka with that coy, he would surely be driven mad. But right now, he wasn't buying it at all, his eyes as cold as ice.
"Why do you call me a god?"
"You have embarked on the path of trials, so of course you are a glorious ascension to godhood." The girl tilted her head slightly, her slight doubt making her even more lively.
I see. It seems to be similar to the 'Wizard's Tower,' where the initial identity comes with prestige.
Yuki glanced at the tray and said sullenly, "Can I not change my clothes?"
"Of course, I'm just asking you to change to avoid disrespectful looks." The girl playfully pointed at Yuki, whose British gentlemanly attire certainly set him apart.
Yuki. After thinking about it, he decided not to change his clothes. The chances of being harmed were extremely small, but he still had to be careful.
"No need, take me to see your General Zhan."
"Yes, please follow me." The girl curtsied again, but as soon as she turned around, Yuki called her back.
Whose sculpture is that?
As someone who has ascended to godhood, this question is somewhat silly, but since the other party doesn't care about the player's identity, he's too lazy to beat around the bush.
"That is the supreme Lord of the Ocean, the god of waves, trade, and vengeance, the founder of the Abyss Fortress, our great father, the core of our faith, the Tido, God of the Sea."
Damn it, the prefix is so long, and the result is just Tido.
Yuki glanced at the fish-headed, human-bodied sculpture, too lazy to even comment, and nodded to follow the other person.
As he walked along the carpet, the bright sunlight streamed into the doorway. Yuki's eyes first narrowed slightly, then slowly widened, reflecting a magnificent scene that defied description.
Abyss Fortress is truly a fortress, backed by a giant mountain several thousand meters high, with layers of houses stretching down the ridge.
These houses are mostly two-story buildings, exquisitely and neatly constructed, with red roofs and white walls resembling squares, arranged in a row along more than a dozen avenues, with a tall round tower every so often.
At the foot of the mountain is a harbor, where sailboats rise and fall with the azure waters. It is a huge inland lake, because outside the harbor, a giant wall cuts off the sea, forming a semi-circle that connects with the mountain range.
The wall is black and rises a hundred meters from the sea. There is a huge water gate on the wall, about fifty meters wide, enough for ships to pass side by side. The suspended sluice gate is extremely heavy and looks to be more than ten meters thick.
The wall also features twelve spires composed of spine-like obsidian spirals, which are not connected to the city wall but float magically in the air.
Every so often there was a raised platform with a giant metal crossbow on it, while soldiers carrying spears and round shields, wearing golden armor and scarlet cloaks, much like Spartan warriors, patrolled back and forth. The sunlight shone on them, and their armor reflected a dazzling golden light.
Looks like I'm pretty lucky? The faction I was assigned to isn't weak at all.
These thick walls and massive ramparts brought a sense of security, because these warriors were not ordinary people; they could actually walk on air.
A high-magic world?
Yuki stretched out his fingers and rubbed the air, feeling that the energy particles in the air were very active. In this environment, as long as there was a little training method, everyone would become a superhuman.
"Your Excellency?" Hathaway, who was leading the way, turned around and did not hide her pride. Her homeland was built by the gods themselves and was known as the first line of defense of the Hero Continent.
"Oh, where are we going?"
"Well..." she pointed to the highest point in the city, where a massive building stood like Lighthouse. "By the way, may I know your name?"
Yuki withdrew his gaze and took a step forward.
You can call me 'The Hermit' Crown.
It's confirmed that Abyss Fortress doesn't care about player identity; the initial reputation is good, and this respect is widespread.
Yuki ascended the fortress and saw that the steps were lined with muscular men in golden armor, holding long spears and nodding slightly. He also passed a training ground where several muscular men were training, not bothering to hide his observation.
Put on the Psionic Tactical Glasses, study the opponent's moves, and draw conclusions.
The ordinary soldiers were roughly at the level of Transcendental Grade II. This strength was certainly no match for Yuki, but having experienced the 'Race Game', he clearly understood the difference between quantity and quality.
Taiyi locked the upper limit, so of course there wouldn't be a scene where epics were everywhere and monsters were as bad as dogs. But the Race Game told him that the epic-level individual Monster Race couldn't actually stop the much weaker Machine Race.
With more people, cooperation becomes easier, and uniting scattered forces into a cohesive force is an important task. According to his estimation, this Abyss Fortress has no fewer than 5,000 golden-armored soldiers.
It's true, the world is far from as peaceful as depicted in the backstory.
A second point can be drawn from this observation: if there were true peace, there wouldn't be this atmosphere of preparing for war. He directly asked Hathaway about this, and she gave him an answer.
Abyss Fortress is on the front lines, Taiyi other city-states. The reason is...
"The Abyss Grade?"
As Yuki stepped onto the last step, it felt as if he were standing on a cloud. Turning around, he could see the entire fortress and the world stretching for hundreds of kilometers.
Abyss Fortress is backed by the continent and faces the deep sea, with continuous mountain ranges behind it, but there are no villages in sight. According to Hathaway, demons often cause trouble in the wilderness, and apart from armed caravans and fugitives, there is almost no human habitation.
Humans gather in cities, which are city-states. In any case, this Transcendental Grade world doesn't require farming, or rather, the city-states enclosed by city walls are already ridiculously large.
Take this Abyss Fortress, for example. As a military stronghold, its area is relatively small compared to other city-states, but it is still estimated to be several hundred square kilometers, roughly the size of Beijing's Third Ring Road. With such a large area, what can't be grown?
"Now that hint 2 is resolved, it's safe to gather together and there's no need to worry about the demons eating people. It's also easy to eliminate them. Players don't need to waste time searching slowly. If there's no defensive power and I don't have much large-scale killing ability, I can destroy Abyss Fortress in about 3 minutes."
Under respectful gazes, Yuki appeared to be admiring the scenery, but in reality, he was simulating destruction.