Chapter 550
Yuki flipped through a dozen faxes, trying to reconstruct the journey of the senior student team. Unlike him, they took the path of quantitative change, because squeezing every last drop out of a dungeon meant endless risks, and normal players would know when to quit while they were ahead.
Fortunately, their snowball started rolling, their teamwork gradually improved, and they gained more than the average player.
He took out one of the faxes, a summary from the second copy, stating that after Mona, Hayasaka Ai had also advanced to Epic rank, and the others would be soon.
"The speed is so-so," Yuki said, a statement that would infuriate players from other factions, but he breathed a sigh of relief.
In the future, only epic-level players will be eligible to join the game, but the gap between epic I and epic IV is enormous, with each sub-tier equal to the sum of all previous tiers.
"I need to give them time to develop, but it's wishful thinking to have all of them in Epic IV form fighting the Judge again."
Yuki patted his cheeks. The Reincarnation Game was chasing him like a mad dog, and he would eventually see through the layers of nested dolls. He had no intention of settling down and farming peacefully.
[Mr. Yuki, we've found a strange item in the 'Golden City,' but I'm afraid to discuss it with you via fax. I'll have to make a decision first.]
This message is quite interesting; Hiyori seems to have become a riddle teller, but Yuki knows she wouldn't be that bored.
The fact that they dare not use Chaos Item to send messages sounds like something extraordinary.
Yuki was curious, but didn't make any wild guesses.
He closed the fax machine, turned off the television, and after the room returned to silence, he lit a cigarette and gazed at the wisps of smoke in deep thought.
Farming and development are absolutely impossible to catch up with. Fortunately, 'Taiyi' has a very stable aggro, Judge are focusing most of their energy on hunting. If I'm not mistaken, we should now use the reincarnation items as a starting point to wait for the rabbit to come to us.
My advantage lies in concealment. To this day, the enemy has not figured out what state 'Taiyi' is in. The problem is how to Limit this concealment.
I tapped my finger lightly on the table. I had already figured out the first one, 'how to escape the Reincarnation Game.' But there were different ways to use it in the same amount of time.
Is this a continuation of the nested doll plan to distract the Judge?
Is it a calculated move to hunt down the High Inquisitor in some instance?
Is it a delaying tactic, a relentless search for Taiyi's legacy in order to find the divine artifact?
No, the Judge could have thought of all these methods and would have taken precautions. If they find out that 'Taiyi' is only me, then everything will be over.
Yuki knew very well that his greatest advantage lay in his ability to remain hidden in the shadows. The 'Taiyi' persona was no longer enough to intimidate his enemies, but it was certainly mysterious enough.
"The best approach is to defy common sense and do the opposite."
He stood up and paced back and forth in the living room. Every choice he made now would affect the future, but surprisingly, he didn't feel much pressure.
"Time, yes, the core of all wars is the time difference. The Reincarnation Game knows that I need time to threaten Him, so it can deal with it calmly."
"But I will not. Before He thinks I am ready, I will plan the final battle and catch Him off guard."
Yuki followed the lines of thought deeper and realized that the situation was now quite clear: both sides were waiting for the final battle. However, by utilizing the secrets of 'Taiyi,' Yuki could control when and where the battle would take place.
Logically speaking, he needs to prepare on a yearly basis, but such a large-scale operation would mean that if he were to call upon his friends and confront them head-on, he would have absolutely no chance of winning.
Players who want to return and those who pursue power are a minority; most are just going with the flow. Yuki can't possibly win over these players.
The more players who know the secret, the easier it is to be exposed. In addition, since No One Survives this time, Yuki knows that the Reincarnation Game retains a part of its consciousness. If it releases a "hunt for Taiyi become a Legendary" event, even if he licks his lips until they're numb, it won't help.
As for hunting down the Grand Inquisitors, the Reincarnation Game replenishes itself with as many kills as you can, even faster than the killing speed.
"Why should I try to gain power that rivals the Reincarnation Game? Wouldn't it be more effective to reduce the intensity of the war and weaken the Reincarnation Game's forces deployed against me?"
"That's right, no one can compare to the Reincarnation Game in terms of potential. He's the master here, and I've never thought of taking his place."
Yuki stopped in his tracks. He suddenly realized that it was impossible to compete with the Reincarnation Game, so why not do the opposite?
Turning my head to look at the garden, I saw that beyond this secluded space lay the Outpost of the entire Thorny Rose, the inevitable battleground.
Did Taiyi think of that too? Couldn't that bastard have given me a little more hint?
He suddenly realized that this Outpost was many times more fortified than those of other factions, as if it were a fortress prepared in advance. As for its troops, it had already united several factions through the Valhalla.
These people are no match for the Reincarnation Game, not even if the Judge went all out. But Yuki's logic has shifted from how to gain the same power as all the Judge to how to make the Judge invest as little power as possible.
Once a leaf leaves the tree of the Reincarnation Game, it can never be found again. If this can be achieved, even if the Reincarnation Game has ten thousand epic-level players, they will be powerless against it.
"Yeah, I'm not thinking of changing the world and becoming the master of the Reincarnation Game, there's no need to make it so complicated."
"Control the intensity and duration of the war, turn the earth-shattering final battle into a short skirmish, and run away before the Reincarnation Game is ready."
Yuki scratched his head. It wasn't that he lacked ambition, but rather that he had lost that idea after learning about the Lost Ones and the Great Game.
Behind the players are the Reincarnators, and behind the Reincarnators are the Pantheon and other forces. How long will this fight last? Even a slacker will turn into a murderous maniac.
He couldn't wait that long. He found this line of thought interesting and, thinking deeper, identified two key issues.
First, how can His attention be diverted from the Reincarnation Game so that He invests less energy?
Secondly, the Thorny Rose alone are far from enough; why would other factions help with this?
The first point isn't too big of a problem. As long as the Reincarnation Game doesn't realize that 'Taiyi' is only himself, there are plenty of ways to deceive Him, which can be considered an extension of the nested doll plan.
The second point is troublesome. Take Valhalla for example. Thorny Rose Shiki Ryougi Yuki? Won't the Reincarnation Game wipe them all out once they realize what's going on?
There's no solution to this.
Players aren't fools. They won't let others help them while they run away. Yuki can't find a way to fool them unless he doesn't leave himself, and after freeing Thorny Rose, he replicates the route, but that depends on whether others believe in his character.
Besides, wouldn't it go against my original intention to just send the senior students away while I stay behind, unless—
I can keep up with them.
Yuki paused, glancing at the Black Blade in his hand, then at the television screen that had been turned off.
Perhaps this is foreshadowing?
Valhalla.
Yuki stood atop a European-style castle, gazing at the Outpost before him.
Since his senior hadn't returned yet, and staying at home wasn't very interesting, Yuki decided to visit the stronghold of his closest ally.
Within sight, countless chaotic buildings stood, a mix of Chinese, traditional, European, Aztec, and Native American styles, ranging from traditional courtyard houses and magic towers to enormous castles. Some of them were so distinctive that you could tell who lived there just by looking at their style. As a former fan of the series, I was deeply moved by the scene before me.
Just like the group of people training by the river, one holding a large spear and the other wielding a nodachi, weren't those Li Shuwen and Sasaki? The two close-combat experts had exquisite moves, and Yuki couldn't take his eyes off them for a long time.
"Mr. Crown, are you itching to show your skills too?" Knight Gawain of the Round Table strode over, a warm smile on his face. "Your strength far surpasses mine; technique is of little use against absolute power."
"In other words, in a contest of equal strength, skill can determine the outcome." Yuki withdrew his gaze; this was the first time he had approached someone else's Outpost with a peaceful attitude.
He was very calm. After advancing to Epic IV, the Borderlands was actually the safest place. Utilizing the characteristics of 'nothingness', even if the entire Valhalla turned against him and set up traps, he could break through the encirclement and escape instantly, making it impossible for the enemy to even chase him down.
Of course, the possibility of Valhalla betraying them is almost nonexistent.
Gawain looked thoughtful, then clapped his hands lightly. "As expected of you, every word you say makes sense. So, would you like to spar with them?"
"No, I want to learn from them. Heroic Spirits are heroes from human history, and their skills are already honed through countless trials. After being refined through the Reincarnation Game, they are very valuable to learn from." Yuki's expression was serious; he wasn't flattering anyone.
I noticed this during the battle with Sorion: despite having the Time Tide Sea God's Blessing, his hand-to-hand combat skills were too poor, and he couldn't utilize the power of this authority at all.
"Well, it's not easy to learn the essence of a hero's life."
"It's okay, I'll have plenty of time when I have some free time, and I can use that to make up for some of my weaknesses."
Do you still have weaknesses?
Gawain raised an eyebrow slightly, but said nothing, indicating that he would make arrangements when Yuki needed him, and then gestured for him to proceed.
"The Valkyries have been waiting for a long time."
"Alright, lead the way."
Yuki turned his head; he had already seen a lot of information on the tower.
The sky above Valhalla is filled with countless spirals. There are not many heroic spirits, and the streets are mostly filled with ordinary people or magicians from various eras and worlds. Their origins are diverse, yet Isshin.
Therefore, the Judge have to give Valhalla some face. This faction is difficult to break through from within, and a direct attack would result in too many losses. Moreover, the heroic spirits who hold the power of discourse are all natural Return Faction.
Unfortunately, most heroic spirits have unfinished epics to complete, and they don't want to be trapped in Reincarnation Game.
Walking along the gray marble bricks and through the European-style castle corridor, Yuki looked at the murals on the walls with great interest.
The blonde girl, wearing a crown and a blue cloak, rode a magnificent horse with such grace that Yuuki had to swallow back the question, "Which timeline does your Saber King belong to?" after reading Yuki's Gawain several times.
Mona said, players in Valhalla have confused time and cause and effect. They might appear as two Servants who fight to the death in the Holy Grail War, one of whom is from the FGO route, or a bizarre event based on a historical prototype. It is very impolite to ask about other people's past here.
Damn mushroom, same face, how many times are you going to use it?
Yuki silently complained, but then he realized that he was there to report KPIs to his allies, not to compile family trees for someone. It had been countless years since the Borderlands were established, and the Valhalla had long since sorted out the messy relationships.
He looked at the door at the end of the corridor. To the left of the door was a medieval knight in full plate armor, and to the right was a magician dressed in modern clothes with a pistol at his waist. This chaotic scene could only be seen in Reincarnation Game.
Squeak--
As the massive oak doors were pushed open, a magnificent hall opened up, with a round table in the center of the hall illuminated by a giant crystal chandelier.
Wow, the legendary round table conference!
This was originally a player's treasure, possessing functions such as signing contracts and information destruction. However, there were no twelve knights sitting around the round table, or rather, the knights were all standing behind the blond king, with only five sitting on high-backed chairs.
'Knight King' Artoria.
Shiki Ryougi "Mystic Eyes of Death Perception".
The Old Man of the Mountain, the King of Assassins.
'Grand Magician' Jewel Mage.
Arcueid, the princess of the true progenitor.
After countless iterations and internal strife, these are the five Heroic Kings at this moment. Each of them has a rather interesting identity, representing different players in the Valhalla. Some teams are loosely organized, while others are more disciplined, but overall, there is no prejudice between them.
Just like Diarmuid has Diarmuid as Shiki Ryougi, and Mona gets along very well with Illya and others on the Jewel Mage's side.
'A marvelous setup; the story of each Outpost is worthy of a book.'
Yuki looked around. He had seen the Aether Particles that operated like the law of the jungle, and he had also seen Hero Kingdom organized into cities. However, there were too many familiar faces here, which made him feel particularly acute.
Red A), Akiha Tohno, Knights of the Round Table, Father Kirei Kotobuki, Touko Aozaki, Shirou Emiya, Rin Tohsaka...
What a hodgepodge of Type-Moon stuff! Just figuring out the relationships between the characters could be a sociological survey.
Yuki's gaze wasn't exactly polite, but none of the Heroic Spirits and Mages, each with their own distinct personalities, put on a sour face. Most of them looked at the newcomer with curiosity, as core members already knew who it was.
Wow, this is amazing! Is this the legendary Taiyi?
For most people, the newcomer is like a mountain peak, easily crushing them, while the gaze of the strong is naturally met with politeness.
The two stared at each other blankly, causing the Knight King to slightly turn his head to look at Shiki Ryougi beside him, thinking to himself, "This 'Taiyi's' gaze is so strange. How can he still show such a nostalgic look? Are we really that strange?"
Shiki Ryougi smiled and nodded, indicating that she was already used to it.
"Mr. Crown, please take a seat. The Round Table will seal the memories of every participant. Even if their souls are read, no information will be found. Apart from the five of us, the memories of the other participants will be erased."
The Knight King spoke in a majestic voice, Yuki was finally brought back to reality from his thoughts on topics such as "Emiya the Great Hero's Harem Route" and "How did Father Kirei dare to face King Hassan."
He didn't ask why he had brought so many people if he was going to erase memories. Seeing an empty high-backed chair by the round table, he sat down and cast a grateful glance at Shiki Ryougi sitting opposite him.
Shiki Ryougi knew his background by selling his daughter, and it was quite clever of her to arrange a formal meeting at this time. Just now, looking around, Yuki was not only conducting sociological research.
All the Heroic Kings are at least Epic Rank III, and there are quite a few Epic-level players around the round table. As the dignified 'Taiyi', how could he not have the strength to easily surpass everyone else? Even sitting at the table for a meal requires qualifications.
A mysterious potential star is not the same as a player who has reached the pinnacle of the Reincarnation Game, and the composure brought by power makes him feel no tension at all.
"Gentlemen, 'we' are simultaneously advancing many plans, and 'I' am responsible for contacting Valhalla to show you the path to freedom." Yuki, repeatedly emphasizing that 'Taiyi' was not just an alias of himself.
"Wait, you trust us that much?" A slightly lively voice came from behind, and a blonde, red-eyed girl was staring at Yuki.
"Your Highness, I am giving you a choice. I will show you the path in a moment, regardless of what magical functions this round table may have." Yuki gently tapped the table, lowering her voice:
"Once the secret is known, the Reincarnation Game will show no mercy; it will only annihilate those who obtain the secret."
The atmosphere suddenly became tense. 'Taiyi' was no telemarketer; he was the mortal enemy of the Reincarnation Game. Just his presence was enough for the Reincarnation Game to destroy Valhalla, because he knew too much and possessed enormous secrets.
"But you possess the only path to yourself. Please tell us; we are already prepared," the seemingly kind-looking Jewel Mage said with a smile, his eyes brimming with a thirst for knowledge.
Inviting Taiyi here was the result of countless arguments; without awareness, how could he have even come to this Round Table Hall?
"Very well, Jewel Mage Lord." Yuki nodded elegantly and recited the script he had rehearsed countless times. "Please concentrate, I will now show you the path to freedom."
There was complete silence. The five Heroic Spirits were perhaps only this focused when they were advancing to Epic ranks. Yuki didn't bother with any fancy tricks and directly presented the experimental results to these allies.
The reincarnation items, the reincarnators—some of these secrets are known even to the Heroic Spirits, but the connection points, the resonance between the reincarnation items, and the leaves detaching from the tree are beyond comprehension.
Yuki without reservation, leaving only his gentle and deep voice in the Round Table Hall. Just as he had said before, revealing secrets was a way to get other players on board, and it wouldn't do him any harm.
The Reincarnation Game can't show mercy because he kept the secret, so why not let more people become the targets of silencing?
"You mean, the Outpost and instances are connected to the main game through reincarnation items?" Jewel Mage looked at the dome. He had made this conjecture before, but it was impossible to verify without reincarnation items.