Chapter 551
"Yes."
"So simple?" Arcueid was getting restless; this was far too simplistic and crude.
"It sounds simple, but the player return theory, spatial coordinates, and the differences between different Outpost are complicated. Without a single link, how can the Reincarnation Game control countless worlds? How many Outpost are there? How many instances are there? Who among you can know?"
Everyone shook their heads in bewilderment. This was an infinite theory, which was why the Reincarnation Game was so terrifying.
Countless worlds operate according to a single rule, influenced by a single program. In the few seconds it takes them to speak, countless players enter or return to instances. The Reincarnation Game issues tasks to them, sending players back to their original coordinates. Just thinking about this computing power is enough to make one's scalp crawl.
"The scale of the Reincarnation Game is too large, so the simpler the underlying logic, the better. Even a little bit of complexity will cause the overall computational load to increase exponentially." Yuki explained briefly. He had long ago discovered that the Reincarnation Game could be infinitely complex if you wanted to, but it could also be very simple if you wanted to.
"Players simply enter a dungeon, complete tasks according to different prompts, and are then sent back to a fixed coordinate. Their rest period ends, and the next cycle begins. Haven't you noticed? After players return, the Reincarnation Game rarely intervenes, only establishing some unchangeable rules."
Yuki begins to explain the structure of the Reincarnation Game, but only at this moment; before the Great Cataclysm, it was a different scene altogether.
Everyone nodded. It was indeed very simple. The Reincarnation Game only set rules such as "no fighting in the Borderlands" and "no free movement between factions." As for the points system, faction trials, and Judge, these were refinements on the basic rules.
"Hmm, according to you, even the Outpost are managed by the players themselves, and the game only ensures the rules are effective based on permissions." The Jewel Mage's mind opened up, and he noticed some details.
"Yes, at least for now, the Reincarnation Game can't manage everything, and it has lost the ability to patch and fix things, so it can only continue according to the original rules." Yuki, drawing a chorus of agreement.
No one should underestimate the Reincarnation Game. This "simple and brutal" approach is built upon countless worlds, and the second half of the sentence is the catalyst.
If the Reincarnation Game had its own consciousness, resistance would be impossible, because it could create new rules at any time and eliminate any existence according to its own whims. And it was Taiyi who caused it to lose this ability.
No one doubted Taiyi's contributions; otherwise, he wouldn't be sitting here so openly revealing secrets.
"The path is there, but it's very difficult to implement." The Knight King, who had been silent until now, spoke up, first Yuki, and then said, "Even though the Reincarnation Game has been severely damaged and has lost the ability to patch it, it has still left behind enough defensive mechanisms."
"That's not enough. To put it bluntly, it's just those Judge."
"More than enough. Even if the Valhalla unites Isshin, it's only equivalent to one-tenth of their strength. Besides, we can't send every single player." The Knight King was very serious. Some people might find the Reincarnation Game to their liking, but there aren't many truly trustworthy players.
She wasn't naive enough to Yuki could pull out a reincarnation item, trigger a resonance, sever the connection, and everyone would immediately run away. That would touch the very core of the game, and the Reincarnation Game wouldn't stand idly by.
Yuki smiled and looked over, spreading his hands. "You already said 'one-tenth,' doesn't that make the impossible possible, the indescribable known?"
The unknown represents infinite fear, and Yuki's value lies in turning the unknown into the known.
"Yes, the most important thing in assassination is knowing where the target is. No matter how skilled an assassin is, they cannot assassinate something invisible."
King Hassan finally spoke, his words concise and to the point, which drew nods of approval from the crowd.
The word 'difficulty' only exists when there is a clear goal; if there is no path, there is no difficulty.
Now that we know what to do, the remaining question is how to achieve it. Considering all the factors, this is difficult, but possible.
"As long as the Reincarnation Game doesn't break free on its own, even the strongest Judge is still a player. It's player against player, what's there to be afraid of?"
"But how do they bridge the gap in strength? They can also recruit ambitious players; it's not just a simple calculation problem."
"The fact that we can see this gap is the greatest significance; it's better than facing the unknown."
"You must understand, there's only one chance, and a dead person can't do anything."
"Take it slow. I didn't say we should resonate with people right now. We definitely need to be prepared, like getting more people involved."
"Hmph, so what? We know who he is, but do you think players from other factions will listen to us?"
"Right, right, the theory that reincarnation items are linking points is too simplistic, isn't it? How do we verify it?"
The Round Table Hall was filled with a noisy argument, with everyone expressing their opinions, while Yuki listened silently to their debate with his hands crossed over his stomach.
This is a good thing, proving that Valhalla is interested, or at least has the courage to challenge them, just as Yuki has always believed:
The path to freedom requires every player to strive, unlike parasites that wait for a hero to save the world.
On what grounds? Is 'Taiyi' destined to sacrifice itself?
It's just mutual exploitation. Valhalla is the easiest to deal with. Once they make their choice, we can bring in the 'Savior' and 'Machine Intelligence'. Of course, Yuki doesn't have the idea of 'using half the galaxy to fight the other half.' Trying to Reincarnation Game reincarnation is ridiculous, isn't it?
"Alright, let's hear what Mr. Crown has to say. Since He has the path, He has a plan." Shiki Ryougi tapped the table lightly, ending the chaotic argument.
All eyes were on him, but Yuki wasn't nervous; he had already prepared himself.
As always, he didn't deliver any inspiring speech, nor did he express any emotion. He simply snapped his fingers, and a screen of light appeared above his head, revealing a plan with thousands of pages and hundreds of thousands of words.
He spent two days writing this; a PowerPoint presentation is much more useful than empty talk.
"This is the initial plan. The core is to avoid confronting the Reincarnation Game directly, to disperse its forces and energy, to control the intensity of the war, and to fight a decisive battle within our capabilities. There are 147 related plans, including attracting attention, delaying the game's recruitment of players other than the Judge, inflicting heavy damage on the Judge, and exacerbating the chaos, among other things."
"Regarding Miss Rin's question, please see item III-327."
The girl with long, black-stockinged legs was stunned, completely unexpected that 'Taiyi' knew her, and instinctively looked at the light screen.
"Facts speak louder than words; a single Outpost, detached from the game, can be interpreted in more than a thousand words, revealing 13 different functions."
Huh? This is called a preliminary plan??
Silence fell over the room; everyone stared in disbelief. This 'Taiyi' was nothing like what they had imagined.
He wasn't an arrogant strongman, a passionate hero, or a reckless brute who would just snap at people on a whim; he was actually a schemer.
A schemer with impeccable logic and clear objectives, as precise as a clock.
Shiki Ryougi couldn't help but smile; this was precisely why she had dared to gamble away her daughter from the very first moment she saw Yuki.
Anyone can talk big, and every player has the courage to fight to the death. As for those heroes who inspire everyone to follow them to their deaths, there are quite a few like them in this Round Table Hall.
It's easy to face death with equanimity; the difficulty lies in achieving the goal. And only one type of person can cope with the infinitely powerful Reincarnation Game.
And he was exactly that kind of person.
Chapter Three: Now, let the hunt begin!
"Well done."
In a room of the castle, Ryougi Shiki, dressed in Shiki Ryougi, sipped her tea gently, her eyes lowered, exuding a tender and gentle aura.
The plan went smoothly; Yuki had practically fed them, so there was no reason for them to refuse. It was difficult, but as King Hassan said, being able to do it was already significant.
"Our only chance is to use the PowerPoint presentation to boost everyone's confidence. If we follow the steps step by step, we have a chance of success." Yuki took a sip of tea, the bitter taste making him frown slightly. Hayasaka Ai's coffee was definitely better.
"Aren't you afraid your plan will be leaked?"
"There are landmines planted inside. It's better if they leak out. Don't look at me. I don't suspect any of the participants." Yuki smiled sinisterly. The Valhalla had finally been captured, which was of great significance.
Each faction and each player has different demands, and it's rare for high-level players like those in the Valhalla to reach a consensus.
Shiki Ryougi put down her teacup, still not asking about her daughter's situation, and said calmly, "You want to finish the battle as soon as possible?"
"It's not about 'as soon as possible,' but we can't wait too long either. If the Reincarnation Game reacts, we have no chance of winning in a head-on confrontation, and we can't give it the opportunity to mobilize most of the players." Yuki's idea was simple, and he explained it briefly:
"The Reincarnation Game is still targeting me; it hasn't shifted from a hunting mentality to a war mentality. The only Hound it has is the Judge."
"Only? But your idea also can't gather overwhelming power; in other words, I can't gather many allies."
To maintain both secrecy and credibility, speed is impossible.
"It's alright. I'm going to cripple the Hound in one battle, and then, taking advantage of the Reincarnation Game shifting to a war mentality, I'll liberate you all too. I don't want to be a savior and keep fighting endlessly." Yuki chuckled. The biggest problem was that only Total Annihilation could sever the connection.
He can't stay in the Reincarnation Game forever; he should help out whenever he receives a request.
Mona I come with you? Or shall I go with you?
Shiki Ryougi frowned slightly. The method of player return still needs to be verified: will they fall with the Outpost that has been cut off from communication, or will they be teleported back to their own camp?
This is important because not every faction shares the same goal as Valhalla, and some players are content just to escape the nightmare of the Reincarnation Game and don't necessarily want to return to their homeland.
It sounds simple, but it's very complicated in practice. That's why Yuki is unwilling to expand his allies; that would be too troublesome. To liberate a certain faction, you at least need the approval of the higher-ups.
"This is about the outcome. I can't stand it if local players sabotage the team."
Yuki muttered something to himself and lowered his head to read the intelligence report. Every piece of information was important and would take him several months to investigate thoroughly.
For example, 'Faction Judgment' is like a Damocles' sword hanging over the heads of all players.
Once activated, all media at this Outpost will lose their activity, making it extremely difficult to leave or enter—a situation commonly known as "closing the door to beat the dog."
Granting permissions to isolate an Outpost is something that has only happened a few times in the Borderlands records, Shiki Ryougi spent a lot of time just to get a few snippets of information about it.
"This 'Faction Judgment' should be the highest level of authority, but the Judge cannot initiate it remotely?" Yuki looked up and found some key information.
"Yes, the Grand Inquisitor must enter the Outpost." Shiki Ryougi took a sip of tea and added, "But this is not difficult for those of them who possess the Hundred Eyes of True Knowledge. Even the Valhalla has loopholes. As long as one Judge infiltrates, they can create a passage and attract follow-up."
The permissions of the pioneers cannot be completely unified. Even a slight difference in permissions can become a loophole. Unless all the players in an Outpost are killed, there will always be some who will be exiled in the Borderlands, a place that even Yuki cannot reach.
The Judge was not someone who had "lost their mind and forgotten to build a pontoon bridge"; they had long been prepared, as if holding countless threads in their hands, just waiting to be used.
But those without the authority to Thorny Rose cannot traverse this path.
Yuki licked his lips, sensing the presence of some kind of foreshadowing, but this didn't make him completely at ease. If one path was blocked, the Reincarnation Game would find another; there was always a way for the Judge to invade.
Unaware of certain Shiki Ryougi asked softly, "Can you handle 'Faction Judgment'?"
"I'm not sure, and I don't dare to try." Yuki shook his head slightly, even a little scared.
That was close. I almost got caught with the 'Aether Particles' last time. This thing probably needs a reasonable reason or a cool-down period. It's not like they'd use a really bad method on the first meeting and drag the whole Aether Particles down with them.
The ability to separate an Outpost and engage in a decisive battle between the two sides is undoubtedly the greatest privilege granted by the Reincarnation Game.
Even if the entire Borderlands were to rebel, no single faction could stand against the Judge. According to records, a certain faction once attempted to overthrow the Heavenly Gang and even recruited many allies, but the Judge pulled a fast one.
With reinforcements unable to get in and those inside unable to get out, they were naturally defeated one by one.
Wait, the records show that the Judge always deployed overwhelming force in a single attack, which means...
"The 'Faction Judgment' mechanism, when separated from the battlefield, may be equally effective for the Judge, rather than simply adding weight to the system unilaterally; otherwise, a Grand Judge would not have fallen in the 'Kingdom of Night'."
"It must have been a miscalculation of combat strength caused by underestimating the enemy. Otherwise, if it were a one-sided attack, the Judge could have either increased their forces or withdrawn. As for whether it was correct, we need to try." Shiki Ryougi thought for a while and agreed with the point of view. "But it's meaningless. If they find you, they will commit all their forces and will not give you even the slightest chance to struggle."
Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit, let alone 'Taiyi'. The Judge will not hold back. Only by capturing one 'Taiyi' can they follow the clues and dig out the rest.
"No, no, no, think about it the other way around. This is a chance to decide the fate of the world. If there are no errors in the records, everyone will go all in at the start."
"You want to seize the initiative in launching the battle?" Shiki Ryougi paused, her hand holding the teacup still, finding it quite strange.
This permission is the Judge's sharpest weapon. The initiative is clearly in the other party's hands, but if they realize they can't win, they can simply not grant the permission.
"The initiative was always in my hands."
Yuki's eyes lit up as he found a key point in the intelligence: 'coordinates'.
Even the most powerful skills need a target to be used. The conventional tactic is to sneak in and Reconnaissance, open up a passage, deploy combat forces, and then extend permissions as needed to avoid being caught off guard and losing control.
But it's different here. All the permissions for Thorny Rose are in my hands, so there's no chance for me to infiltrate Reconnaissance.
In other words, the coordinates can only be provided by the Reincarnation Game. That is, when you resonate with the game yourself and sever the connection, it's a critical moment. The Judge either goes all in or watches it end.
In that instant, he became even more determined to use the Thorny Rose as the battlefield for the final showdown; the information from Valhalla was a timely boon.
"If I can shut the door and beat the dog, annihilating most of the Judge in one battle, the remaining factions will be under much less pressure. The Reincarnation Game needs time to gather its forces and adjust to a state of war. If I'm fast enough, I can free you from this misery."
He became more and more excited as he spoke, and couldn't help but stand up and pace back and forth. Yes, I didn't intend to be the liberator of the cycle of Reincarnation Game, helping endlessly.
Once these allies are liberated, if that foreshadowing proves useful, we'll make a quick getaway. As for the counterattack of the Reincarnation Game and the wavering of countless factions—
After I've made my move, I don't care if there's a raging flood.
"It sounds like the success rate has increased even more." Shiki Ryougi nodded slightly. She didn't want to be a savior either, and she wanted to get away as soon as possible. She had waited for too many years and was already impatient.
"According to you, you plan to use a special Outpost as the decisive battleground, commit all available forces, force the Judge to initiate Faction Judgment, cripple them, and then turn around to liberate us?"
"Yes, this is about controlling the intensity of war and competing in preparedness. I lied earlier; the true strength of the Reincarnation Game is still unknown. We only know its current trump cards."
Yuki, looking back, had a simple idea as a realist.
"We may have only gathered 50% of our strength, but the Reincarnation Game has only prepared 1%. We have no chance of winning against Him in terms of resources."
"Even if your plan succeeds, this 1% is enough to crush us." Shiki Ryougi tapped the intelligence on the table, which was a portion of the Valhalla's strength as discovered through its intelligence network.
In theory, it is impossible for the Judge to be traitors or to obtain intelligence; this is an extension of the Matryoshka doll project.
The Judge, in order to trace the evidence, will inevitably leave traces, and then use those traces to make inferences in reverse.
[Ten Grand Judges have made a preliminary assessment of the strength of those at Epic Rank IV or higher.]
[Thirty-seven epic-level Inquisitors are known]
[The ordinary trial has 1,671 officials, the weakest known strength level is Monster III.]
Each number made one's breath catch a little faster; aside from the Grand Inquisitor, this was certainly not the full force, and what fraction it was depended on luck.
Moreover, Taiyi ordinary players, every judge is a combat expert, and their overall evaluation is not exaggerated.
It's important to understand that players often have useless skills and items that boost their rating, which prevents them from fully utilizing their actual strength in a real fight.