Chapter 561

Yuki opened his storage space, and four soul materials fell out: [Undead Skull], [Dragon King's Heart], [Demon Horn], and [Word Demon's Tongue].

The first two are of a very high rank, originating from the King of the Undead and Neltharion, while the latter two have just entered the epic rank and are considered rare items throughout the entire Borderlands.

Outside the instance, it's very difficult to kill an epic-level player, because each one is a powerful figure who can easily send minions to cover their retreat. Including those used, we hunted a total of 8 Aether Particles on this trip, an opportunity that is rare even in the Borderlands.

"If I entered a typical Outpost, I would have been attacked by a united front long ago, and there wouldn't be so many epic-level players there. Only the relentless, all-or-nothing nature of the Aether Particles would give me an opportunity."

Yuki knew very well that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; it was a chance to finally fill the hole left behind in the past.

Where would you use two Epic Tier III items and two Epic Tier I items?

Yuki checked the detailed panel and put two Epic Rank I materials into 'Stand User'.

[Stand User (LV.3)]

[The number of controls has increased by one, the control distance has been expanded to a spatial plane, Overclock Mode lasts for up to ten minutes, significantly reducing control precision and granting control over a different spatial plane.]

Interestingly, with four epic-level materials—that is, four epic-level player lives—this special skill undergoes a qualitative change. Not only does it increase in quantity, but the control distance is no longer limited, and an Overclock Mode is added.

In reality, Stand User aren't that powerful, and they're not worth investing heavily in.

It has no independent consciousness and can only execute specific commands, somewhat like a remote-controlled airplane. Moreover, it requires the separation of its own abilities, and when destroyed, the damage is fed back to the original body.

"But in my hands, this thing is a divine skill, specifically used for performing fancy maneuvers."

Yuki was quite satisfied. He didn't have many skills, and splitting himself up too much would affect his main body's strength, but this time he also gained a lot of items.

He couldn't resist trying it out and found that, just as described, the two clones could be controlled at an infinite distance within the same space, and the Overclock Mode was an even bigger surprise.

Unfolding the Night Furnace, theoretically, puts it in a different spatial dimension, but it still allows control over the clones outside, albeit at a great cost.

The two Stands can only merge into one, and the effect lasts for less than 10 minutes before disintegrating on its own.

"Dating across time and space is out of the question. It can only be used for short battles or deception, and it consumes a lot of energy. I can't fight two battles at the same time."

Yuki was a little disappointed, but he didn't take it to heart. He could make the most of even the most ridiculous traits, let alone such a powerful skill.

No rush, the operation can be planned slowly. These [Undead Skull] and [Dragon King's Heart] are even more precious.

Having intermittently defeated players of Epic Tier I-III, Yuki gained a direct understanding of Soul Materials. Roughly speaking, one Epic Tier III material is equivalent to four Epic Tier I materials.

[The Undead Skull, crafted by an Epic-level player, requires 24 Specialization Points and has a chance to upgrade Chaos Item to Abyss Grade- level (Level 7)]

[Keywords: Domain class, Undead class]

[Dragon King's Heart, crafted by an epic-level player, requires 24 specialization points and has a chance to upgrade Chaos Item to Abyss Grade (level 7)]

[Keywords: Burst type, Transformation type]

The player's soul materials are all related to their skills, Yuki vaguely recalled that the two's attack patterns were quite similar.

These two materials are almost impossible to obtain under normal circumstances. If it weren't for the tower's 'help' and the army already deployed, they would have been rich long ago.

He hesitated for a moment, looking at his player panel again and again. There were only a few places where he could use it:

The game includes equipment such as the Hunter's Blunderbuss and the Dragon-Hunting Sword Spear, special skills like the Eternal Night Domain and the Six Gods' Authority, and of course, an Alienated Grade item called the Night Furnace. The 'probability' mentioned in the hint should be related to the nature of the equipment.

If you use materials with the keyword 'Undead' to enhance weapons with the 'Holy' attribute, it's equivalent to letting the Reincarnation Game reclaim reward points. Moreover, according to information from the Valhalla, players have a limited number of Abyss Grade items and Legendary skills.

"Inject the Undead Skull to strengthen the Night Furnace." Yuki made the decision quickly, but it was after careful consideration.

Abyss Grade- level (Level 7) items have astonishing side effects, but their power is immense. Take that crystal knife, for example. If it weren't for the combat instincts granted by the War God Plunder and Khorne's Blessing, the skull might have actually turned the tables and killed him. Moreover, such high-level items are very difficult to obtain.

As long as they are conscious, players would rather overload and self-destruct than leave anything for others.

As the 24 specialization points disappeared from the panel, Yuki felt a sharp pain in his heart, but there was nothing he could do. The Night Furnace was his 'life-bound magic weapon,' and he had to invest heavily in it.

Without the Furnace, he wouldn't have survived this long; without the Furnace, he couldn't have remained hidden for so long. If he really had to choose one trump card, it would undoubtedly be the most precious one.

[Alienated Grade Item: Night Furnace Domain (Abyss Grade)]

[Activates a 200-meter radius area, separating all life forms within the range from the material world, creating a 1 million square meter domain that lasts for 5 hours with a 5-hour cooldown. Binds to the user; domain strength is significantly increased.]

[Alienated Grade: 1. Soul Furnace, which integrates the abilities of other Chaos Item to a certain extent, takes effect within the domain, and bears 80% of the side effects of the items, Slots 7/20]

[2. The Undead Calamity: This ability has a controlling effect on undead creatures and strengthens them.]

[Side effect: The fusion item cannot be removed permanently and can only be used when the field is deployed. Replacing the item will immediately destroy it.]

[Description: Humans revere the night because it represents the unknown and holds countless possibilities.]

[Note: Epic-level players may not possess more than two Abyss Grade -level Chaos Item.]

It's here!

Yuki stared wide-eyed, comparing the description of the level 6 Furnace almost word for word.

"The coverage area has expanded tenfold, the Furnace area has increased tenfold, the melting time has been increased fivefold, and the intensity has been significantly improved."

A look of ecstatic joy flashed across his face. This first description alone was worth the price of admission; the problem that had long troubled Yuki was finally solved.

The old Furnace had a small stripping range, requiring close-range activation, and its internal space was also small. Now, enemies can easily travel at several times the speed of sound, and can escape if one is not careful. Moreover, with the current intensity of combat, the Night Furnace would not last even half an hour before it falls apart.

Taking on the side effects is an added bonus. With Stand User to take the fall, I'm not worried about that. As for this Undead Calamity, it just so happens to be related to Soul Corruption.

These two conditions are no longer important, and as for the additional side effect of 'immediate destruction,' Yuki doesn't care at all.

Murder and arson bring wealth and power; simply robbing is much faster than completing quests, no wonder every epic-level player loves to take advantage of chaos.

Good stuff. Next time I pour Chaos Furnace Flame into the Furnace, I won't have to worry about it burning through. I need to experiment with this Undead Calamity a few more times to determine its strength.

Yuki put away his belt and realized that his upgrade path was quite strange. Before this, he had been spreading out all his abilities and then improving them at the end. This had one advantage.

"Once I become stronger, I won't have to worry about finding materials."

Since it's a resource for sustainable development, Yuki didn't need to be polite and put in the [Dragon King's Heart] to activate the Death God's Authority among the 'Six Gods' Authority'.

[Withering of All Things: All things will inevitably move towards death, eroding all energy, matter, and life forms within the halo.]

A crimson light spread out, and in that instant, everything in the bedroom turned into black ash.

Damn, I'm going to get yelled at by my senior this time.

Yuki quickly withdrew his power; he had seen this authority on Sorion before, and it was practically an invincible defense.

"There are too many energy-intensive skills; all we're missing is a qualified energy core."

He had deliberately left a space empty for later use. Void Conversion and Soul Extraction into a powerful energy ball were both transitional solutions, but it was difficult to find items that matched his current strength. He couldn't very well ask the Jewel Mage for the 'Holy Grail'.

That's about it.

Yuki nodded in satisfaction. The massacre of an entire camp had indeed yielded fruitful results, and he made a brief summary.

The Night Furnace Domain has been upgraded to the Abyss Grade, and all slots have been optimized; the Stand User has been upgraded to LV3, unlocking many gameplay options; the Six Gods' Authority has unlocked Timeflow Tide and Withering of All Things, two god-level authorities.

"I am no less capable than any Grand Inquisitor, the price being that I've almost exhausted the points I saved for two instances, but it doesn't matter—"

After the snap of his fingers, a crack appeared in the room, and the dozens of cubic meters of storage space finally came in handy, with all sorts of Bloodline Object, materials, and props spilling out in a clatter.

"All that hard work on missions is no match for robbery!"

"From your description, this sounds more like Lost Ones from the Pantheon?"

Just as Yuki was diligently sorting through his spoils, in the Judge Space, Uchiha Madara on the ground, listening to a report.

Each Grand Inquisitor has their own independent domain and they are not always gathered in meetings. They are extremely busy these days. For example, Uchiha Madara just returned from a dungeon and did not find 'Taiyi' in this high-level dungeon.

Orochimaru stood by with his hands at his sides; the Grand Judge had his own judgment, and this was not a question.

"Hmm, it really does resemble the Lost Ones of the Pantheon. But that's impossible. Even if a dungeon world is incorporated into the game, the Lost Ones can't become players."

Uchiha Madara looked at the holographic images again and again. These were all taken by Orochimaru and processed with special tools to be incredibly clear, even able to reproduce the aura.

The blood flames burned, and the terrifying pressure made Ban's fingers tremble slightly. He closed his eyes to savor the moment.

"It's them, that's the feeling I'm sure of."

"Uh, didn't you say it was impossible? Maybe it's a hidden item?" Orochimaru stopped mid-sentence and changed to a less foolish guess. "Could it be a special item brought from Lost Ones?"

"It's possible, but it lasted too long, and I remember this Blood Flame state very clearly. It was something like 'Blood God's Blessing.' I ask you, what makes a Game Players worthy of being blessed by a deity of the Pantheon?"

How would I know? I've never met anyone so Lost Ones.

Orochimaru lowered his head. The Judge sometimes take on missions to eliminate other players left behind within the boundaries of the Reincarnation Game, and occasionally they can obtain some information about the events leading up to the Great Cataclysm from them.

Of course, all of this information is top secret.

"Step down."

"Yes."

Ban, too lazy to look at the subordinates he had brought from his hometown, stood in his domain, which resembled the interior of a giant tree, and after a long while, shook his head and smiled bitterly.

This has raised another unsolved mystery, but the Judge no longer have the energy to deal with it. That damned 'Taiyi' is too cunning, playing them like dogs.

Having finally made some breakthroughs, and thinking they could quickly catch their opponent thanks to the resonance of the reincarnation items, the Grand Judges divided into 10 teams, each choosing an important target to track.

Logically speaking, there aren't many dungeons at this level, so there's always a chance of encountering one. But it's like the other party is hiding; you can't even find a trace of them.

This is torture. They can't just walk in and trigger a resonance, alerting the enemy. They have to be on high alert, risking being killed in the process, to devise a plan. Also, the participants in high-level dungeons are all big shots; they won't give you, the Judge, any face.

"Ugh, this is really troublesome. We need to be discreet and avoid any unexpected complications."

Uchiha Madara rubbed his head. It was fine to have made a wasted trip, but the main problem was how tiring it was. There was almost no time to rest, and now he had to join the next pursuit.

"Is it funny? You're the most free person among us."

He turned his head, and a white-clad figure appeared in the tree palace at some point, smiling as he looked at the projection.

"Not at all. I control the true form of the Hundred Eyes of True Knowledge, and I need to continue splitting it to expand the scope of my search." Aizen's gentle smile remained unchanged, as if he were visiting a friend.

"If we continue to split, the resonance range will decrease. Besides, not everyone has the ability to create clones. Even if I did, if I really encountered Him, a single impure clone wouldn't be able to defeat Him." Uchiha Madara's brows never relaxed, but his question only elicited Aizen.

"Do you have a better idea?"

Madara was speechless, the feeling of frustration almost made him explode. In all this time, he only had one chance to face him directly, and it wasn't a matter of fighting strength at all.

"I really want to fight him."

"Who wouldn't want that? Having overwhelming strength but not being able to fight to their heart's content is frustrating too." Aizen's smile made him seem less frustrated, and he pointed to the repeatedly playing holographic projection:

Do you think this is Taiyi?

Uchiha Madara immediately felt sorry for the other man, who was so suspicious. He simply shook his head and said, "There are some suspicious points, but it doesn't seem like it. 'Taiyi' is not that kind of headstrong brute. He would use a more ingenious method to hunt down his enemies."

The demon on the screen is too reckless; it's charging headlong into the enemy's fire, more like Battle Maniac.

"Besides, it can't be verified. We can't exactly launch a 'Faction Judgment' just for Him, can we? If we make a mistake, will others accept an apology?"

Aizen's smile faded slightly as he narrowed his eyes and asked, "So, who do you think this is?"

"I don't know. We dismantled 'Hundred Eyes of True Knowledge,' so even at their peak, it would be difficult to spy on a player at Epic IV level. We'll have to investigate slowly, and we'll need at least two Grand Inquisitors to lead the team."

Aside from the Judge, there aren't many Epic Tier IV players. Even if we include all the missing ones, it wouldn't be difficult to find out the truth, but they don't have the energy to create unnecessary trouble right now.

"Don't create trouble for yourself. Because of 'Taiyi' stirring up trouble, the Borderlands is in chaos now, with faction wars breaking out one after another, and some players are even turning against us." Ban sat on the throne from which vines grew, and crossed his legs.

"In 'The End,' do you feel increasingly powerless in dealing with these reckless individuals?"

"Of course, the Reincarnation Game is too big a game. If things really get out of hand, we can't control it on our own." Since his master didn't offer him a seat, Aizen had to stand. He said wearily, "Even we ourselves are the same. We've never truly been united. There are clearly more efficient ways, but we just don't want to do them."

He was referring to Orochimaru and the others, who obediently allowed themselves to be slaughtered by demons, triggering a judgment mission, which would immediately reveal the origins of the enemy.

"Everyone's afraid of death, the stronger they are, the more afraid they are of death. If we weren't afraid of death, would we work so hard?" Ban laughed sarcastically, thinking that this was human nature. Becoming Judge was for privilege, not to maintain the Reincarnation Game.

This crappy game isn't worth maintaining; we're all just working people.

"By the way, why hasn't that plan to gather allies been implemented yet?"

"Because of the obstruction of 'Truth' and 'Fallen Angels,' as you said, we are just a group of mortals with great power, so don't expect us to make sacrifices. The Reincarnation Game hasn't issued a subjugation order, so why should we bear the costs?" Aizen continued to shrug. Some fundamental issues couldn't be resolved by his intelligence.

The Judge are short-handed, but without the help of the Reincarnation Game, they can't expand their ranks or recruit a bunch of players to play the game. All of this requires benefits, but the question is, who will provide those benefits?

To participate in the Reincarnation Game, they need to lock onto 'Taiyi' and issue war orders, but they don't have enough manpower, and they can't find 'Taiyi', so it's like a vicious cycle.

Big head.

Uchiha Madara rubbed his head. The Reincarnation Game had no independent consciousness and reacted too slowly. It needed to lock onto Taiyi's lair to trigger the defense mechanism. The Reincarnation Game would then concentrate all its resources and ruthlessly crush it.

But with all these resources at our disposal, we can't find that cunning fox.

"My biggest fear now is that when we find them, that bastard won't give the Reincarnation Game any time to react and will just run away. The power we've gathered is limited."

"Taiyi also dared not recruit more soldiers, and I have nothing to say about him defeating the Judge with just a few players." Aizen paused, then added meaningfully, "Besides, if he chooses to leave, the Judgement mission will be over, which is no different from killing Him."

"You... you're not thinking of going easy on me, are you?"