Chapter 523

Froya shook her head. She understood what was said, but investigating it was easier said than done. Her little brain couldn't find a breakthrough no matter how hard she tried, but the more she thought about it, the more important it seemed.

I don't usually think about it, but when I think about it with a purpose, something just doesn't feel right. It's like how the very threatening Fox Demon wasn't eliminated, while the honest and docile turtles were the first to be wiped out.

This is a targeted and purposeful elimination, but if there are any clues, they can only exist in Peach Blossom Spring.

"Alright, I'll send someone to inquire right away. You can't kill all the clues; there are bound to be some who slipped through the net."

"Remember to keep it discreet, otherwise it will cause trouble if it gets out."

"Mr. Crown ~~ Do you think I'm that stupid?" Froya asked with a sly smile, her eyes narrowed. She stood up abruptly. "Then you sit with Mr. Kalpas for a moment. I have to handle this personally. I'll have news soon."

After saying that, she vanished in a flash. Yuki didn't say anything; this was a cunning old fox, second only to himself, and she must have known the danger involved.

But this is the only way out; only by figuring out what the Sky God wants to do can we make targeted arrangements.

Let's wait for news. Why are we still waiting for information about this dungeon?

Yuki picked up his teacup, but before he could take a sip, his hand was pressed down.

"Walk."

Why?

"If you don't leave now, you won't be able to leave later. Don't laugh, she has plenty of ways to deal with you." Kalpas was on high alert, dragging Yuki away, fully demonstrating the astonishing speed of an epic-level player.

They sped away from the hut, only stopping at the market, leaving Yuki utterly exasperated.

"You seem quite afraid of that Froya?"

"I'm not even afraid of the Reincarnation Game, why would I be afraid of her?" Kalpas scoffed, but his voice quickly turned serious. "I'm not afraid of enemies, I'm not afraid of killing, I'm afraid of this kind of trouble. Why waste time on things that have no future?"

Hmm, he seems like a pretty responsible and good man.

Yuki Kalpas, finding him different from what she remembered, yet unchanged. Looking at the Fox Demon around her constantly greeting Kalpas, a sense of familiarity welled up within her.

Yes, a sense of belonging.

Chapter Sixteen: Let's Go Crazy Together!

Players are both saviors and mobile calamities.

Countless brutal tasks twist humanity and torment players beyond recognition; the game's insidious beatings are inescapable for anyone to withstand.

However, Yuki's Dio Brando, players who reach the Epic level all retain some degree of obsession. For example, Dio Brando remains thoroughly evil, but most players still have a clear sense of right and wrong and can perceive good and evil.

Take Abyss Fortress Keep for example. If the War Commander were a cunning old fox, Yuki would ruthlessly treat them as pawns, even if it meant gaining the slightest benefit. But the entire Abyss Fortress Keep treats him as a hero and shows him sincerity.

Yuki hasn't stooped to repaying kindness with enmity; he only fights to the death when facing the Abyss Grade Barrier.

Sitting in the small shop, sipping wine with the aroma of peach blossoms, gazing at the bustling market, and enjoying a couple of bites of light and refreshing snacks, Yuki comfortably closed his eyes.

Froya is too modest. This place is no refuge; it's more like Peach Blossom Spring.

The wars outside seem to have no effect here. Those who yearn for revenge will be given a chance by the Fox Demon, while those who yearn to live a life of ignominy will not be despised.

"So you didn't know Froya's identity at first, and you rescued her without even realizing it when the Demon-Hunting Army attacked?"

"Nonsense. I'm not like you or Mebius, always expecting something in return for what I do." Kalpas snorted disdainfully, "I kill those I don't like, and help those I do. That woman was lucky; I just happened to like her."

"A normal intelligent person would think this is a feigned retreat, but the Fox Demon is too clever; he saw through it immediately." Yuki shook his head with a sigh, took a sip of his drink, and realized that this was something he could never learn.

Well, it's like how he's least good at dealing with brutes.

"Then you settled down there, and as time went on, Froya grew to like you more and more."

"I may occasionally go crazy, but I'm not stupid." Kalpas glanced at the man beside him and pointed to the bustling city. "This ghostly dungeon is full of intrigue, and players will inevitably have to choose a side to join. Fortunately, I'm quite satisfied with this place."

What if the Divine Race attack?

Kalpas picked up his wine cup, his eyes slightly narrowed.

"Kill."

That single word conveyed boundless determination, and if Yuki wanted to harm the fox clan, he was included in it.

"Well said, we really are the same kind of people." Yuki his glass, clinked it against his, and swallowed the crisp, refreshing wine.

The strong should be willful, but Kalpas is even more unrestrained than him, and can be considered to have lived a life of profound understanding.

He hesitated when he first ventured into the Abyss Grade barrier, after all, the risks were too great and the rewards were unknown. But sometimes, disregarding probability and forcing your way in can lead to unexpected success.

With her leg slightly raised, she listened to the noisy voices around her. This time, Yuki didn't really have to put in much effort; she relied mostly on her friends.

'Now we just have to wait for Froya to find a clue. The fox clan acted early, so they'll always leave some traces.'

This is the only way to solve the problem. The Peach Blossom Spring is very hidden, and no message can be transmitted to the outside world, which is why Kalpas could not make contact.

I wonder how things are going with Mebius. I'll have to remind him next time I go out; if the Divine Race make a move, I need to give him a heads-up.

Waiting for news is incredibly boring, and Kalpas is not a talkative person. Yuki has to rack his brains to steer the conversation.

For example, which of the Thirteen Heroes became players, and what butterfly effect their world created? Kalpas's vigilance wasn't strong, and the answers he gave were quite interesting.

Just as Yuki had predicted, the power of the Reincarnation Game was indeed used in reality by them. The reason was simple: there was a monster in that apocalyptic world.

"Dr. Mei didn't become a player? She devised a new plan to save the world and stayed behind with Kevin?"

"Well, I'm not interested in the specifics of the plan. You'll have to ask that snake. I heard it involves disabling the anchor point, and the invasion of the Reincarnation Game is even more terrifying than the End." Kalpas shook his head indifferently. It was too long ago; if it weren't for Elysia, he would have forgotten it long ago. However, his eyes grew increasingly strange.

"You're not from our world, are you? You seem to know us quite well."

"We're from different factions, how could we possibly be from the same world? I'm just a bit too outgoing." Yuki slowly poured his drink, both wistful and puzzled.

He was completely baffled by the Reincarnation Game's mechanics. Did the time at the Borderlands match the original world's time? Having taken Ying Jie and then the Herrscher of Finality, how would the original worldline be disrupted?

Even with his wildest imagination, he found it hard to envision what the story of Honkai Impact 3rd would look like. Of course, this had nothing to do with him; the timeline of Thorny Rose was consistent.

Do returning players retain Transcendental Grade abilities? Wouldn't the world descend into chaos if so many forgotten superheroes returned?

Yuki occasionally daydreams, but in the end, she just laughs it off.

Let's talk about it when we get back.

The two drank and wandered aimlessly around the city. Kalpas didn't want to get involved in any romantic entanglements, Yuki had no choice but to follow him. But this guy was really not a good companion, and he didn't utter a sound the whole way.

Even Yuki racked his brains to find topics to talk about, he mostly responded with "um," "oh," or "what did you say?" which was so awkward it made people cringe. Eventually, Yuki got too lazy to keep up the conversation and just aimlessly observed the chaotic scene.

The demons here are Survivors from various tribes, and they look all sorts of strange creatures, including bipedal elephants and monsters with Arima heads and spider bodies, each one looking incredibly ferocious.

But the atmosphere in the city wasn't heavy; there were very few demons with deep-seated hatred and a mind full of revenge.

This was clearly a selection process; the demons who truly wanted to fight the Divine Race to the death and were sworn enemies were all on Morgas's side.

'Their approach is completely opposite; the Fox Demon are more focused on survival, no wonder they showed no hostility even after recognizing me as an Ascended God.'

Yuki appreciated this atmosphere more. It was too dangerous to be with a group of avengers with deep-seated grudges. Moreover, he could see that the real enemy was the Sky God, and that Divine Race like Isaac didn't actually have much of a fighting spirit.

The Battle of Abyss Fortress opened the curtain on war, but because of my influence, the Sky God's plan was not perfect, and many Divine Race did not regard the demons as mortal enemies. If the massacre of the city had succeeded, Isaac would have been the first to become a vengeful madman.

Yuki felt a sense of pleasure. The war had been going on for half a month, and as casualties increased, hatred was definitely slowly growing. But it would take a long time before they could become irreconcilable enemies.

"Using this time, I can confirm my suspicions. If you really want to ignite the Chaos Furnace Flame, it won't be difficult to destroy it."

Before his conjecture could be confirmed, he was already planning what to do next. Because of his identity, he had people on both the divine and demonic sides. When the time came, he would pass on the message, and whether people believed it or not, they would at least be more cautious.

A coordinated attack on the Sky Gods is out of the question, but slacking off in this war is perfectly acceptable, right? Once this idea of slacking off takes hold, it will be difficult for the Sky Gods to reverse it.

"By then, most of the players will be dead, and I can start my experiment, activate the Divine Torch, and see exactly where the link to this dungeon is. This war between gods and demons is also a good opportunity for me, as neither side has the ability to focus on me."

The new plan unfolded smoothly when Yuki suddenly stopped, turned his head, and looked at the demons in the bustling city.

"You don't want to eat again, do you? Did you turn into a pig?" Kalpas also stopped and casually mocked, but when he saw that Yuki's expression was wrong, he followed his gaze and his eyes froze.

It was a blacksmith's shop, where a minotaur was diligently wielding a hammer to forge weapons. But above its head, a golden light appeared. The apprentice who was serving tea and water was stunned, his mouth agape, and the tea he poured overflowed from the cup and spilled all over the ground.

"This... this is Hunting Beacon?" Kalpas recognized it at a glance, then looked on incredulously. "Impossible! Even the Peach Blossom Spring can't communicate with reality. Hunting Beacon couldn't possibly have reached here!"

He wasn't lying. This subspace was extremely special, somewhat like Yuki's Night Furnace. Even level 7 Chaos Item couldn't contact the outside world, and reality couldn't interfere with it either, which was why Kalpas often couldn't make contact.

Yuki remained silent, continuing to stare at the blacksmith shop. The minotaur also noticed something was amiss, repeatedly touching the top of his head. The demons passing by also sensed something was wrong, all looking bewildered.

Do you know this Minotaur?

"I know him, a simple-minded great demon who's only interested in forging weapons. Wait, do you mean the Divine Race left a tail on him?" Kalpas wasn't stupid; he immediately realized what was going on.

This unassuming minotaur was once the clan chief, and he was the trial subject he personally rescued. Wasn't it said that the Hunting Beacon could only last for three days?

Yuki no longer needed to guess; he saw an eye being forced open from between the arrows. This scene was all too familiar; he had personally experienced that Hunting Beacon came in two types.

"It's Hunting Beacon activated personally by the God of Conflict. Damn it, is this thing like the Book of Life and Death of the King of Hell, recording everything once someone has been tracked?"

Before Kalpas process what had happened, he flew into the air and saw the entire city fall into a deathly silence, with golden light emanating from every direction.

But strangely enough, he felt a little relieved. For a moment, he really thought he was being followed, bringing utter disaster to his Peach Blossom Spring.

This has been a hidden trump card all along, but why now?

Buzz...

As he was thinking, the city suddenly trembled, and ripples appeared in the space like liquid. Kalpas came to his side at this moment, still somewhat bewildered.

"What's going on? Even if the Divine Race activate the Hunting Beacon, they can't possibly get in."

The Peach Blossom Spring is like Night Furnace, or rather, a more solid separation of space. No matter who enters or leaves, Froya must personally grant them authority. That girl seems clever enough not to make such a basic mistake as giving the authority to the guide.

This is a shelter, so there must be some survivors. Activating the Hunting Beacon isn't difficult, but locating the warp from reality isn't enough; someone needs to open the door.

"I don't know, hurry up and go check."

Yuki flew outwards, but stopped not far away. Only then did he realize that this was a subspace within a subspace, and he couldn't get out without a guide. Fortunately, at that moment, Froya appeared silently beside him.

"What exactly happened? You don't suspect me, do you?"

"How could that be? Mr. Kalpas has been following you every step of the way. It's impossible for him to betray us, and there's no reason for him to do so." The Fox Demon's expression was serious. It might be a coincidence, but she was helping Yuki investigate something, and there was no reason for her to turn on him now.

"The outer ring has been breached, and the Divine Race have poured in; this was all planned in advance."

"Something went wrong with your people?"

"Impossible. Apart from my clone, only Mr. Kalpas can freely enter and exit."

Kalpas was stunned by these words. He hadn't expected his authority to be so high. He clenched his fists, his whole body filled with killing intent.

"Am I being followed? Did they find my spatial coordinates?"

"No, or rather, even if we found the coordinates, we couldn't break through space. I don't understand how they did it."

Even the clever fox was bewildered. As the owner of this Peach Blossom Spring, she had always been extremely cautious to ensure her absolute safety. In her haste, she could only confirm that the coordinates were given by the Hunting Beacon, but she had no idea how the Divine Race had broken in.

"That's not important. We should be thinking about how to deal with this now." Yuki interrupted the two of them. This was not the time for guessing games. With his reminder, Froya quickly came to her senses.

"I can't let them enter Ideal Land. I need time to throw Ideal Land into the deeper warp. Even if the God of Strife intervenes, the Hunting Beacon can't last long."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's kill those bastards first!"

Kalpas transformed into a fiery meteor, tearing through space and heading towards the outer ring. Yuki didn't follow; he knew that this idiot only listened to half of what he was told.

Since it was a premeditated attack, the situation must be worse than imagined. For example, when Froya reached out, she didn't stop Kalpas.

Are you doubting Morgas?

"Yes, He is the God of Shadows, most skilled in spatial abilities." Froya shook her head slightly, her face cold. "But I'm being careful. My last meeting with Him was outside, and logically speaking, now is not the time for infighting."

"Unless I guess right."

"That's not right. If it's a matter of mutual destruction, they can't wipe us out now, unless—"

"Unless the stray dogs you've taken in here pose a threat, some things must be buried in the dust of time." Yuki glanced at her and said sarcastically, "Don't test me like that. Even if you can't find anything out, I'll help you out of respect for Kalpas. But I don't like being used as a tool without knowing why. Answer me a few questions honestly."

Froya was immediately embarrassed, realizing that her deliberate attempt to steer the conversation was rather childish, and she obediently nodded.

"You said."

Are all the demons in the outer ring untrustworthy?

"No, not at all. I just haven't passed the test yet and qualified to enter the Ideal Land. Don't worry, my test is very rigorous, and I will never let a spy in."

Yuki nodded; he believed that. Since they wouldn't be caught in an inside-outside attack, things would be much easier.

"Alright, let those spies in. Let's play along. I want to see if Morgas is involved. This will save us a lot of time."

This...

Froya hesitated. It was dangerous, but as Yuki said, slowly searching through historical records would take a lot of time. However, if they could turn the tables and ascertain Morgas's stance, they could prepare in advance.

Because aside from Yuki's conjecture, Morgas had no reason to choose betrayal.