Chapter 577
As the saying goes, he is greedy when others are afraid, and he goes all in when others stop. Looking at the players running around everywhere, and at the white-bearded old man rushing out of the Tenshukaku, Yuki revealed a ferocious smile.
If the High Inquisitors are still confined to the Judgment Domain through the Truth's Eye, then Faction Judgment are most likely bidirectional; otherwise, they would have already received the news and rushed over in a panic.
The second step was to successfully "draw a circle around oneself" (i. e., confine oneself to a designated area).
As the clock strikes the next moment, the third step should be to resolve the foreshadowing and fill in the holes dug earlier.
"Kaguya, you can make your move now. Snipe any players who dare to resist and completely crush them." Yuki decisively went all in and contacted Kaguya Shinomiya, who had quietly infiltrated the area.
There was no answer, only a shooting star streaking across the gloomy sky, piercing the chest of a valiant Furnace Knight.
A sniper opened fire from a hundred miles away. In this chaotic scene, who has the energy to search for her?
"Miss Yomi, gather your scattered forces and drive the enemy out of the Outpost. Do you know how to do it?"
"Whoever covers the rear, swarm him and kill him!" Yomi's eyes lit up, and he immediately understood what Yuki meant.
With so many factions, some are just taking advantage of the chaos, specifically targeting and slaughtering certain individuals. Others will follow suit, as long as they can run faster than their teammates.
The traps he set up earlier were even more terrifying; Li Dan intended to lure the enemy's powerful warriors into the Tenshukaku, trapping them inside and beating them.
But where are the Judge? Why haven't they come out yet?
She didn't understand, but she knew it must be Mr. Li's conspiracy to somehow keep them away from the battlefield at such a delicate time.
"Well said, Hayasaka, come with me, let's go kill someone." Yuki turned and walked away.
"Wait, even if we win this battle, will we really survive?" Yomi Isayama couldn't help but ask. She wasn't stupid; if they failed to severely injure the Judge in this battle, others could replicate it ten times over at any time.
"I wasn't sure before." Yuki turned his head, his expression serious and calm.
"But now, we will win."
These damned Judge, how dare they betray us!
When the true colors are revealed, it will undoubtedly be a catastrophe for the players involved in this battle.
We agreed to be supporting characters, responsible for bringing out 'Taiyi' for you guys. Now that 'Taiyi' is here, where the hell are you guys?
Isn't this ridiculous? The enemy's main general is on the field, while our own is offline. Are the Judge and Taiyi colluding to kill us, or are they just using us as scapegoats so they can jump out and reap the benefits?
The latter is more likely and also the hardest to accept. Every player wants to be an easy winner, not a stepping stone. Once resentment arises, who will resist? Only a few loyalists will risk everything to storm the Tenshukaku and rescue their leader.
But Yuki had already prepared this move. Kaguya was sniping, Yomi Isayama was leading the remaining troops in a fierce battle. Let's see how long this loyalty can burn.
A jumble of messages reached the ears of the epic-level player, and their first reaction was bewilderment.
Huh? Didn't Taiyi go to the Judgment Domain to change homes?
They were certainly aware of the Judge's movements; he was rushing back to reinforce them, ready to trap them. Even if they fell into his trap and missed their target, it didn't matter; they would arrive to support him as soon as they received the news.
This time difference is very short, so they can pursue with confidence. Once 'Taiyi' appears, they will immediately launch Faction Judgment. Accomplices like Kalpas and Demon Child will not be able to escape, and all their items and soul materials will belong to them.
If 'Taiyi' doesn't appear, then this will be a normal faction war, where they will crush the resistance with their superior military strength and reap double the rewards.
"But 'Taiyi' has appeared, while the Judge are trapped in their own lair." The King of Kindling gripped his spiral greatsword, and in just a few minutes, he had extracted useful information from the chaotic intelligence.
"This was a pre-arranged scheme. 'Taiyi' is indeed beyond common sense. Not only can it go to the Judgment Domain, but it can also obtain the movements of the Judge in real time. Perhaps it even knows the essence of Faction Judgment."
How can you play this game if it's cheating? One player personally enters the game, while your own player chooses to go AFK.
"Those fools, the Judge, they fell for it!?" the Blasphemous King the Roar. He had brought all the players to reap the rewards, but he himself had become the lamb.
"On the contrary, these Grand Inquisitors are too shrewd. They're trading our lives for the secret of 'Taiyi' —it's a very profitable deal for them," Isshin Ashina sighed. This was a higher level of competition.
"If the Taiyi of the Judgment Domain emerges, there will be several possible outcomes; if it doesn't emerge, there will also be several possible outcomes."
Isshin Ashina is quite wise; even when he's in the thick of it, he can understand the essence of this game. Taiyi and the Judge are simply paying a price for each other and getting what they need.
The Judge paid the price of defeat and greater chaos at the Borderlands, but they were able to understand the true nature of 'Taiyi'.
"If He is captured, we will have a breakthrough point to follow the clues. If He is destroyed by Uchiha Madara, it will prove that 'Taiyi' is not a fragment at all, but merely a clever smokescreen." The King of Kindling also fully understood the meaning of 'each gets what they need', which at least allows us to deduce the upper limit of 'Taiyi'.
If they could truly come and go freely, with countless forms, then those Judge constantly talk about maintaining order in the Borderlands would rebel tomorrow. They are nothing more than stepping stones for those who "know themselves and know their enemy."
"But this has nothing to do with us. Let's break out. The mission is complete, the favors have been repaid, and I will not get involved in their struggles from now on."
Isshin Ashina was very clear-headed. Both sides were getting what they wanted, and since they had fallen into a trap, what else could they do but run away?
The players, scattered throughout their respective spaces, remained silent. Although they had regained their composure, they were still taken aback by the sight of their opponents, whose morale had surged.
This is not easy.
Trying to run? Too late.
Without a moment's respite, Yuki had already slaughtered his way through the players who wanted to enter the Tenshukaku to rescue their own boss.
The secret of 'Taiyi' is the ticket, and that ticket has already been paid to the Judge. How many fries you can get depends entirely on your own abilities.
The chaotic and protracted war shattered the "Night Parade of One Hundred Demons," but it also clearly indicated the objective.
The four main targets are the Soul of Cinder, Arkad the Blasphemous King, Isshin Ashina Sword Saint, Sukuna the Superior Cursed Spirit. The other epic-level players cannot be let go either.
"Kalpas, go help clear the battlefield. Leave this to me."
"I'm having a great time fighting, and you're telling me to leave?"
"Listen to me, I'm about to begin the fourth phase. Do you perhaps want to return with the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons?"
Kalpas immediately fell silent. The real goal was to return to the experiment, and everything had to be done flawlessly. Besides, this Outpost was about to crash, so wouldn't all the props scattered around be wasted?
"The third level, do it yourself. I won't be responsible if you run away Blasphemous King."
"Don't worry, they can't escape." Yuki had a plan in mind and contacted Satoru Gojo directly. "Bring Master Taiyi's defensive teleportation medium. If we don't lose this thing, they have nowhere to run."
The entire castle has only one teleportation medium as a last resort. This thing is hidden very well. Without it, the only way to escape the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons is to break out of the Tenshukaku, and Yuki happens to be blocking the outside.
"No problem, but I want to know what to do next. This battle didn't directly harm the Judge." Satoru Gojo's voice was heavy with exhaustion. He knew that even if the Judge lost this battle, it would be meaningless.
The unrest and crisis of trust in the Borderlands are collateral damages. He can run away, but he can't hide. The appearance of 'Taiyi' not only saved them, but also solidified their stance. They can come back at any time and wipe out the entire area.
Yuki, however, showed his fear. If he truly had the ability to confront the Judge head-on, why bother with all these fancy tricks?
"There's no future. Didn't you want to go back? I'll send you back right now." Yuki revealed his trump card directly, not wanting to waste any more time.
"You... you want to free the 'Night Parade of One Hundred Demons' from the Reincarnation Game? Is that really possible?" Satoru Gojo's mouth dropped open. This method was beyond imagination, directly addressing the problem at its root.
Believe it or not, is there any other way?
That's it, really. There's only one chance to trap the Judge. After roughly knowing the Limit of 'Taiyi', the Judge actually felt more confident.
Yuki might be able to stall for time, but he'll definitely die as soon as he sees the light of day.
"I'll do whatever you ask."
That makes sense. Why choose "Night Parade of One Hundred Demons"? It's because they have no other choice, to avoid wasting time.
"Simply tell every player: drive out the enemy, hold the Outpost, and I will cut the path to freedom."
He's revealed his hand: he wants to bind all the players to his chariot, making them fight fearlessly to the death, forming an impregnable fortress to protect him. As long as he forces back the excess players, the few remaining strong ones won't be able to cause any trouble.
He looked up and saw a Flying Fire Meteor shooting out from the Tenshukaku. The raging Kalpas would crush all resistance, and behind it followed a player who was half human and half snake, none other than 'Blasphemous King' Arkad.
Their eyes met, Arkad was startled. He immediately retreated back to the Tenshukaku. This path was blocked, but fortunately, the Tenshukaku had countless rooms, so catching Him wouldn't be so easy.
"But I don't have time to play hide-and-seek with you."
Yuki had already anticipated this; if he didn't want their soul materials, he would have simply opened the path and let them escape.
But the experiment must go on, and I'll take your lives too!
With the remnants of Kaguya Shinomiya, Kalpas, and Night Parade of One Hundred Demons isolating the battlefield, the lower-level players are almost collapsing, with only some loyalists still putting up a stubborn resistance. Several epic-level players are trapped in the Tenshukaku, seemingly still having options.
But Yuki wasn't going to let them choose at their leisure.
Torch of the Gods. Active.
He pulled out the hourglass-shaped Divine Torch and activated the reincarnation item. That familiar feeling resurfaced, but this time, the Reincarnation Game shifted its focus even faster.
The gray sky was torn apart, and the magnificent vortex clouds stopped spinning. You must know that even at this moment, new players were being thrown into the Outpost, and these unlucky guys were swallowed up by the war before they even understood what was going on.
But the moment it was activated, the Outpost went into a 'locked' state, which confirmed to Yuki that those vortexes were the path he had come from.
Buzzing...
The heavens and earth resonated. It should be noted that even multiple epic-level powerhouses could not cause the Outpost to tremble. Even the players stopped fighting and looked up in horror.
The sky is parting, and something terrible is resonating in response.
The reincarnation item is indeed the link, and it's hidden even deeper than the dungeon.
Yuki was overjoyed, the atomic clock was ticking away in milliseconds. Mebius, who had received the news, had also arrived and was recording every piece of data from the experiment.
Taiyi dungeons, this is like cutting flesh off the main body of the Reincarnation Game, directly triggering the defense mechanism and arousing resistance.
'The resonance speed is very slow; the activation process is indeed lengthy. The transmission medium is losing its activity, but it's still effective.'
He breathed a sigh of relief. This should be measured in 'hours'. If he had been too arrogant and thought that activating resonance—severing the connection—would have allowed him to escape, the Reincarnation Game would have sent an army to teach him that humility is a virtue.
This is enough time to plug the loophole; similarly, Yuki can do nothing but wait.
"Fortunately, you don't have any troops at your disposal right now. Even if you did, I could stop you."
Given Yuki's personality, if the Reincarnation Game could violate its rules and send the Judge, who were essentially imprisoned, to him, he would never stand up to it.
But it seems that's not the case. A person with intellectual disabilities only has instincts; they cannot take the initiative, much less break the limitations they set for themselves.
This is the core objective of the experiment, and this is the meaning of Taiyi's existence. Without this premise, comparing it to Reincarnation Game with cheating is ridiculous. Games can even have deus ex machina, sending a bunch of reincarnators out of thin air.
But if everything runs according to the rules, things will be much easier.
When Yuki realized that the Judge hadn't arrived from nowhere and the scattered players hadn't gone berserk, he knew he had succeeded more than halfway.
Even if the resonance period is long, the progress bar is still moving. When playing within familiar rules, strategies are always valuable.
"Next is the final step."
The resonance between the two reincarnation items did not require his control. Yuki turned his head and saw the white-haired sword saint rushing out of the Tenshukaku, followed by Sukuna with a face full of tattoos, and then a child with an arrogant expression and a bun hairstyle.
There was no need for Yuki to search; the enemy had already taken the initiative to come out. They weren't stupid; of course they knew what Yuki wanted to do.
By severing the connection between the Outpost and the Reincarnation Game, and detaching themselves from the tree, these people will no longer be able to help the Judge if they wish to return. Even if they want to return, they cannot stay here.
Yuki calmly looked at them and raised his sword.
"The last layer."
"Let me see what this so-called 'return' really looks like."
Chapter Twenty-One: I Am Also Ashina Style
Huh? Taiyi's real purpose is to escape the Reincarnation Game?
The news reached the Judgment Domain, and the chief judge, who had been on high alert and ready to catch the fish in the jar, finally obtained the full picture of the incident.
At this moment, Uchiha Madara had returned from the dungeon, his body still covered in large patches of purplish-red blood, and he was using energy to remove the filth from his body.
His return was the best possible outcome; no Grand Inquisitor had fallen, and through Uchiha Madara's explanation, Aizen and the others understood the true nature of 'Taiyi'.
It wasn't a fragment of a personality acting autonomously; otherwise, there would have been no need for a feint. It was unlikely to withstand the Faction Judgment, otherwise, there would have been no need to run away immediately. According to Madara's description, it was more like a clone, and it had a time limit for maintaining it; otherwise, why would it have rushed to self-destruct?
All good news. The operational objective had actually been achieved. They had figured out Taiyi's Limit, so there was no need to be afraid anymore. They wouldn't fall into the same trap twice. But before they could summarize and conclude, direct orders came from the Reincarnation Game. They had also received information about the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons:
Taiyi returned to the 'Night Parade of One Hundred Demons' and prepared to free it from the Reincarnation Game. This was undoubtedly its true form, but the Grand Judges couldn't go there.
Faction Judgment fundamentally locks down an Outpost, regardless of the player's identity, unless the Reincarnation Game gives them a backdoor.
"So that's what that bastard was thinking. No wonder I couldn't figure out what he was up to."
Boros gained a completely new understanding of 'cunning'.
Initially, they were the ones who took the initiative, wanting to see how Taiyi would respond, whether he could find a loophole, and at the very least, turn the tide of the situation.
Aizen had a second thought: he believed Taiyi would play a trick involving exchanging pieces, and later it turned out to be exactly as he had imagined.
So he thought of a third level and decided to use this as a counter-strategy to test Taiyi's Limit, which succeeded.
Next comes the fourth level, where Taiyi returns to the 'Night Parade of One Hundred Demons'.
"I thought He wanted to make a deal. After all, He gave up so many secrets, He should have gained something. Keeping us here and eating the Soul of Cinder is a win for Him." Aizen stroked his brow, feeling frustrated by the layers of troubles.
"So 'Taiyi' went to such lengths, actually escaping the Reincarnation Game while we couldn't interfere?"
The group exchanged bewildered glances. In a way, they had come out ahead, as the enemy was no longer an unknown entity. But upon closer reflection, they felt they had suffered a slight loss.