Chapter 585

"That's possible, but I think your familiarity with power is the top priority, senior. You've already advanced to Epic level, right?"

"There's nothing to be familiar with. I'm not a combatant." Mai Sakurajima continued chopping vegetables, her expression focused. "My main job is to keep him firmly by my side. See, he's come back obediently this time, hasn't he?"

They were never worried that Yuki run away early, but this confidence had to be based on something, just as there is never love without a reason.

"I acknowledge your value in this area, but I also deserve half the credit."

"Hmph, at most a quarter, because Hiyori and Mona also contributed to this."

"So, you mean you'll keep half for yourself?" Hayasaka Ai covered her mouth and said, "With your mediocre skills, you can't compare to me."

"Hayasaka, I'm not a fighter..." Mai Sakurajima turned her head, saw the maid's smile and was stunned. She instantly knew what the 'skill' referred to, and her face turned red instantly.

"The two of them are fighting."

"Don't worry about it, this happens all the time. Why don't you go Hiyori talk to her about it?"

"I'm not suitable, Kaguya-chan go instead."

"Why are you shifting the blame onto me again? I'm not going to be disliked!"

In the living room, the white-haired elf with pointed ears held a teacup, her curious gaze sweeping around. Because she knew too much and didn't want to make things difficult for Frieren, she became an unofficial member.

'I didn't expect this place to be so unusual... uh, interesting.'

These are Taiyi's closest people, the core mortal enemies of the Reincarnation Game. They may not be as high-class as a mysterious organization, but they should at least have some mystery.

After two days of observation, there's no mystery, not even a sense of boundaries or tension. They're just ordinary friends in the mortal world, not at all like mortal enemies in the game.

"Does it seem strange?" Frieren turned her head, her expression odd, because she had experienced the same thing.

"Hmm, do they even understand the current situation? The entire Reincarnation Game is the enemy." Frieren said expressionlessly; the elf was used to indifference.

Before Frieren could answer, Shiina Hiyori and smiled at her new friend.

"Mr. Yuki said that tension is useful, but being too tense can backfire, so it's important to maintain a 'normal' state."

"Psychological comfort?"

"To be precise, it's Mr. Yuki's psychological comfort. Personal likes and dislikes change with power. All we can do is maintain his preferences, like a kite string, holding him back and preventing him from drifting into the deep sky."

Hiyori and continued reading, while Frieren pondered, and then noticed the large print on the cover.

<Epic Psychology>?

She understood somewhat; this was what was meant by maintaining one's original intention. The Judge couldn't have come up with this reason even if he racked his brains. It wasn't that Taiyi couldn't be nurtured, but that He wanted to nurture the world He loved most.

Who would have thought that a legendary figure who slaughtered all living things would actually enjoy this feeling?

Frieren didn't know if this was good or bad, but just as she preferred to study strange and unusual magic rather than use it to kill, strong people always have different quirks.

"At least staying here is not bad."

"Who likes feeling oppressed? As long as it doesn't interfere with our business," Frieren said softly, suddenly moving to the side, her small hands instantly missing their target.

Frieren had mastered dodging to the point of it becoming a passive skill, but Frieren hadn't; her hands immediately went to her chest.

"Ah, Zhenping, Frieren is still the best."

Mona rubbed it a couple of times and then let go. This elf was just like herself, with Armless to it. Frieren wasn't angry, though, and turned her head to look at her seriously.

"Aside from players like Miss Mona who have a fixed origin, this is the only faction that is rarely affected by the game."

"Oh dear, let's not talk about such serious topics. Isn't my brother trying his best to run away as soon as possible?" Mona waved her hand, grabbed a biscuit from the table, put it in her mouth, and gently swung her bare feet.

"The time to regain my freedom is getting closer and closer. I won't be able to enjoy this kind of convenient life anymore, where I can just 'biu' whatever I want."

This is still far from being realized, yet she's already dreaming of a life back home, but no one is there to correct her.

What Yuki Sorajima is determined to do will surely be accomplished; neither the Judge nor the Reincarnation Game can stop her.

"Don't be too happy yet, I don't want to disappoint you."

A man's voice came from the kitchen. Hayasaka Ai and Mai Sakurajima stopped bickering, Shiina Hiyori closed her book, and the others turned around. Mena Ryougi had already pounced on them.

"Brother, you're still alive!"

Yuki raised his hand and gave her a sharp rap on the head. This little brat really couldn't say anything nice. Unexpectedly, she turned into particles and appeared behind him, suddenly clinging to his back.

"Stop fooling around, I just used up a lot of energy."

Her soft, slender arms were draped over her neck, making Mai Sakurajima grit her teeth in frustration, yet she was utterly helpless.

This guy's thick skin makes him a high-level player; Mona couldn't care less about her senior's threats.

"No, I only feel at ease holding you, so you won't sneak away sometime."

"What are you talking about? If I wanted to run away, would I have waited until now?" Yuki was too lazy to argue with her, so he carried her to the sofa, looked around, and then moved a stool over to sit down. Just as he raised his hand, a cup of coffee was shoved into his hand.

"Ready?" The maid leaned forward, ignoring the reality of being 'squeezed out,' which was quite impressive.

"These are the only things that have been passed down from 'Taiyi,' that bastard really didn't give us anything." With someone hanging behind him, Yuki couldn't draw his sword, so he simply crossed his arms.

"I have fully unlocked 'Total Annihilation' and taken control of the Outpost."

Chapter Two: The Natural Battleground

Yuki spent two days completely unlocking 'Total Annihilation', and after gaining access to each line of permissions, he looked radiant.

He could tell with his own eyes that this Outpost was definitely special, otherwise it would have been infiltrated like a sieve by the ever-present Judge.

Aizen knew there was something wrong with this Thorny Rose, but he didn't even know where the door was. He could only bypass it with Epic Metamorphosis, and Yuki exposed him.

"The Thorny Rose is the prepared battlefield for the final battle. Before the fight even begins, among the three factors of timing, location, and popular support, the advantage of location has already been secured."

Everyone nodded. They were no longer the newbies they once were; they had been to various Outpost and knew that nowhere was safer than under their own buttocks.

Firstly, the privileges Yuki held by one person, which prevents infiltration. Once a gag order is issued, catching the player who Thorny Rose is useless.

Secondly, in terms of combat alone, this place has countless Tenshukaku Night Parade of One Hundred Demons. Those Tenshukaku were built by demons over a long period of time, but they just picked up a ready-made one.

These tall buildings are incredibly sturdy, sigh...

Shiina Hiyori suddenly remembered something and asked, "Like the Borderlands, fighting is prohibited here. Can we use that?"

"No, the rules of the Reincarnation Game are above the authority of the Outpost. Besides, like the Divine Torch, enough epic-level players can overwhelm the authority." Yuki replied immediately. He didn't understand why before, but now that he had unlocked all the authority, he understood.

Trying to skip class? No way.

We still have to fight.

People were somewhat disappointed, but thinking about it, it made sense; a group of Judge just watching them run away was a ridiculous sight.

"What other permissions did you obtain?" Mai Sakurajima asked curiously, remembering that such permissions could suppress players from other factions.

"Alright, come with me." Yuki finally shook off Mona, got up and walked towards the door, but turned around and found that no one had moved. "What's wrong? Aren't you curious about Taiyi's inheritance?"

"We're not qualified to go in."

Yuki suddenly realized, then waved his hand. "Now I have it."

Without any special effects, Mai Sakurajima and the others exchanged glances, a strange feeling washing over them, as if they could touch the rules. This was precisely the highest level of authority that Yuki gained after unlocking the Black Blade.

The players are actively divided into groups, rather than being randomly assigned in Reincarnation Game.

Now there were no problems. They opened any door, and the access path led directly to the management room. The group followed them inside, curiously observing the shattered starry sky.

Each crack is a flashing image; some show the situation inside the Outpost in real time, some recount the past of a particular player, and some focus on the player through keywords before immediately starting a comprehensive analysis.

Isn't this just an invisible surveillance system? Every player is being automatically tracked?

Hiyori finally understood why the leaders of each faction collected authority: if all authority was concentrated in one person, it would represent absolute control and absolute monarchy.

Players under their command have absolutely no privacy. Even a casual remark made while drunk can be closely monitored, and their memories can be searched to recall who they have met and what they have said inside and outside the instance.

Wait, doesn't that mean...?

Mai Sakurajima blushed slightly and quickly searched for familiar scenes among the countless images.

"Ahem, let's get this straight, I wasn't spying on you guys, Frieren. That 'trash-giving' look you're giving me again." Yuki slightly embarrassed. If it were her upperclassmen, wouldn't she just look like a perverted stalker?

"Real?"

"Yeah, relationships always need to maintain a bit of mystery, like wearing lingerie is always more alluring than being naked."

Yuki's bizarre metaphor drew many people's attention away, but Frieren's gaze seemed more like that of someone looking at a pervert.

Can this pig-headed guy hold back? No, I already let him see everything. No, no, no, but he absolutely cannot see the contents of the bathhouse meeting.

Mai Sakurajima's mind was in turmoil, but seeing that Kaguya and the others were even more confused, she coughed lightly and said, "Auntie, I'll believe you for now, let's get down to business."

"Right, right, that's not important." Yuki immediately accepted the offer. Only a fool would worry about something as trivial as 'how many bowls of noodles'. He waved his hand lightly and said, "A complete pioneer possesses hundreds of different permissions, practically absolute kingship, but do you know why no one can do it?"

"Because you can't be friends with every player. Every permission is fragmented into countless pieces. Some permissions are too small to be noticed, but as long as a single fragment remains, the game cannot be complete," Hiyori replied immediately after reading many travelogues and historical texts.

"Well, unless you kill down to only one person in your faction, but doing that puts you at odds with all the other players. Unless you're like me, where one step ahead leads to another, creating a huge gap in skill."

Aside from those around Yuki, the strongest members of 'Thorny Rose' at present are players like One Leaf Foretells Autumn, who are at the Monster IV level. This is already very fast in the Borderlands, but the two are simply incomparable.

"It can't be replicated. Don't forget that when we came up, the Outpost was deserted, yet we skipped the 'closed world' stage directly," Hayasaka Ai added, emphasizing that their faction was unique.

According to the normal process, a large number of players will ascend from Earth, and their strength will be roughly the same. They will bring with them the contradictions of the Earth era. As for the second, third, and fourth batches, the gap between them is not that large.

They might fight amongst themselves, resulting in bloodshed, or they might unite and eventually link the Borderlands, but this process is lengthy and prone to various mishaps.

"Frieren told me that during the closed world phase, the most powerful and initial players were the 'Pioneers.' Pioneers would gain supreme authority and bear the responsibility for the future of their faction. Because they were at the forefront, they would undertake the most difficult tasks, and once they fell, their authority would shatter into dust."

"I... I only heard that secondhand, and there's some artistic embellishment in it." Frieren blushed. She was a Transcendental Grade- level player back then, and these settings were just things she heard Adventurers bragging about.

"I'm not blaming you. After all, the consultation fee is just a cup of fruit tea, which represents a part of the truth," Yuki teased deliberately.

Fruit tea.

Frieren gazed at the twinkling starry sky, feeling as if he were in a dream. Back then, this man was ignorant and stingy, unwilling to even spend a cup of fruit tea. How long has it been since then, and he has become the only 'king' in the Borderlands?

"Mr. Yuki, what is the real setting?" Hiyori raised her little hand; she loved researching the setting.

"It's a long story, but just remember this: the so-called Pioneers and Judge were patches added to the Reincarnation Game after the Great Cataclysm, with the aim of keeping the game running with minimal resources." Yuki wasn't here for a history lesson, so he skipped over these topics and waved his hand, causing countless images to suddenly change.

It was a nebula like the Milky Way, filled with dense, unsettling lines that connected at the center and twisted together to climb into the void.

"This... this is the whole picture of the Reincarnation Game?"

Everyone was stunned. Shiina Hiyori even felt dizzy from looking at it, because even in Reality Reading, it was impossible to count how many stars there were. This had nothing to do with astronomy. Each star was an independent plane, and it was not unreasonable to consider it as a universe.

Countless new players arrive, countless veteran players perish, new tasks unfold every moment, issuing hints, giving rewards, or eliminating those who fail—it's practically an endless stream of computational threads.

Frieren's eyes reflected the starlight as she managed to stammer, "The Reincarnation Game seems to be quite busy."

Wow, this elf has quite the knack for making sarcastic remarks.

Yuki glanced at her before explaining, "To be precise, this is the current Reincarnation Game. Before, it was larger, more complex, and also simpler. See this thread?"

Following the direction Yuki pointed, everyone looked and saw that the central thread led to a higher level of world, but it was dim and without light.

"Severed by Taiyi?"

"Well, 'Taiyi' has actually done 90% of the work. The real computing power of the Reincarnation Game is actually above that, which is the legendary 'Great Game'. The huge lump below is just nourishment for the war at the top."

Yuki drew a circle with his finger. "Before, there was no need for Judge below. The game controlled everything, hoping that players would fight every day to select the strongest seed. In other words, our current setting is already paradise."

Heaven? What kind of heaven is this godforsaken place?

Mai Sakurajima and the others felt a sense of irony, but they had to admit that the previous Reincarnation Game was simpler and more brutal, a complete manifestation of the Dark Forest theory.

The strong should rightfully obtain everything, only to be devoured by the even stronger. The Borderlands are merely resting places for reincarnators, much like Race Game. When the monsters get tired of staying in the Borderlands, they can even create a separate plane to rest. This entertainment plane has survived to this day and is still considered a high-difficulty dungeon.

Players who were previously considered worthless before becoming reincarnators faced even more terrifying wars.

"Is this basically a starting village for Reincarnation Game? A place specifically for raising reincarnators?" Shiina Hiyori's eyes sparkled; she loved these settings.

"Pretty much. In the past, the various factions were chaotic, and only endless killing could forge true powerhouses."

"So, those who reincarnate are superior beings?"

"How could that be? They're just bigger cannon fodder. Besides, the gap between reincarnators is huge. There should be another power ranking system, but I estimate that surpassing epic and reaching legend is enough to get started." Yuki couldn't forget how 'Taiyi' treated the reincarnators like pigs to be slaughtered.

What is the reason for the Reincarnation Game to participate in the Great Game?

"I don't know, and I'm not interested in knowing." Yuki glanced at the star map, which was at a height he could hardly imagine, with a setting a hundred times more complex than his current one. Just in the most familiar 'Pantheon', he saw the shadows of the Four Chaos Grade Gods and the Collapse Iron Star God.

Perhaps in the Pantheon, these 'gods' are powerful 'reincarnators'.

"This path has no end, otherwise Taiyi wouldn't have taken a step back and found a vast new world. I have no interest in endless upgrades." Yuki was quite self-aware, casually pointing to a star. "What I need to do is sever the connection and remove the star from the main body of the Reincarnation Game."

"To be a liberator?" Mona at least sounded a bit more serious.