Chapter 588
That said, many players who have spent long years in the Borderlands also want to escape. There's no way around it; this hellish place is too dangerous, and there's no end in sight to the game.
Even the legendary Taiyi couldn't reach the end. The lonely strongman reached the peak, but his side was empty, with no companions to follow him. Looking ahead, there were one powerful enemy after another, one challenge after another.
"Besides those with deep-seated masochistic tendencies and arrogant ambitions, I doubt anyone would want to stay here. As for players like Shiki Ryougi, their desire to return is even stronger than ours."
Yuki stood in front of the mirror, letting his senior adjust his clothes. The guests had arrived, and meeting the bigwigs of various factions would naturally not be as casual as before, but of course, it was far from formal either.
He looked at the young man in the glasses, dressed in dark casual pants, a white shirt, and a gray trench coat; at first glance, he looked like a recent graduate.
"Are you sure it's okay? This outfit doesn't look formal at all. Why don't you change into something more formal?" Mai Sakurajima rambled on, sounding a little nervous. "Why did you bring the meeting to your home, and without even cleaning it up properly?"
"Senior, I've long since passed the stage of creating a cool image with my appearance. Everyone has worked hard to put on this act for so long, so let's finally show some of our true selves." Yuki seemed very calm. He had been a hero in 'No One Survives' and a survivor in 'Bloodthirsty Red Moon'. He was tired of acting all the time, so he decided to be more casual at the end.
Why not create a starry sky like the Judgment Domain? Or a magnificent palace? Epic-level players have seen all sorts of spectacular scenes, why waste time on these things? Being more realistic would actually win over people like Elysia.
"But..."
"I've made up my mind to return. Could it be that I'm still attached to the power this force brings?" Yuki grasped her delicate little hand and gently rubbed her fair skin. "I've been thinking a lot lately. Perhaps some things changed the moment I met you. Like, I still don't understand why I brought two burdens with me back then."
"Who's the burden!" Mai Sakurajima immediately became displeased, but she grabbed Yuki's hand in return, her purple eyes gleaming.
She understood that this pig's will was unshakable. The hardest thing in the world is not climbing to the top, but letting go—letting go of the pleasure of killing, letting go of the supreme power that could kill millions with a single thought.
Therefore, he was unwilling to face the final outcome as the lofty 'Taiyi'; he was merely Yuki Sorajima, and could only be Yuki Sorajima.
A pighead who can take things in stride is the kind of guy she likes.
"Go, persuade them, and we'll go home together." Mai Sakurajima gave the man a gentle push on the back, causing Yuki to stumble a few steps. He turned back and gave her a reassuring look.
Click.
The door lock clicked, and through the crack in the door, one could see that the small living room was full of people.
Shiki Ryougi, Artoria, Jewel Mage, and all the other Heroic Spirits have arrived.
The pink-haired Elysia rested her chin on her hand, her eyes glued to the television. Next to her sat a spiky-haired boy, Sora, the 'Game Players'. This boy, who had once worked with Yuki, was chatting with another pink-haired girl, Ikaros, the 'Machine Intelligence'.
Across the coffee table, a bespectacled girl leaned forward, taking a cup of black tea from Kaguya Shinomiya's hand. She waved her hand, brushing away the smoke exhaled by Johnny Silverhand. This was Mari Illustrious Makinami, the 'Mechanical Believers'. Beside her sat two ship girls, one was Taihou, and the other, Yuki, whom she had never seen before, but knew was Aegir.
The diminutive Levi Ackerman turned around at the sound of the door opening, while a strong man with white hair and a scar near his eye beside him instinctively tensed his muscles— Geralt, the 'Hunters'.
In the corner of the living room, there was another group of players, who were the representatives of the 'wanted criminals'. Yuki finally matched the title with the name.
The 'Ice Queen' was Esdeath, but the 'Dragon of Vengeance' was really strange—that person was dressed in a maid outfit and had two horns on their head; wasn't that Tohru?
It was truly a gathering of heroes—oh no, it was a chaotic free-for-all.
Even excluding the wanted criminals acting in their own names, the small living room was filled with top players from various factions, including Valhalla, Classic of Classic of Mountains and Seas and Seas, War Orphans Mechanical Believers, and Hunters. They were all long-term allies of Shiki Ryougi, making them absolutely trustworthy.
Yuki was used to all sorts of mixed characters, but this was the first time so many characters from different works had come together. Apart from a few players who had a connection with Yuki, the rest were basically all epic-level powerhouses, filling the small living room to the brim.
The door was wide open, and all eyes turned to them. The two stared at each other, both wearing strange expressions.
The legendary 'Taiyi' has shed Arima and appeared in person; everyone has imagined what it would be like to meet him.
It may be majestic, mysterious, cruel, or extremely oppressive, but no one expected it to be so ordinary.
Isn't this just an ordinary apartment? Isn't this just a naive student? Is it a deliberate attempt to create a contrast, making it difficult for people to grasp the reality? But there's no mind-manipulation ability here, or is this illusion so powerful that it's undetectable, and what we're seeing is just a phantom?
Many people began to have their minds turned upside down. Even Geralt and Aegir cast questioning glances at those around them. "What's this? I thought Taiyi was on the tenth floor, but he's actually on the first floor?"
"Every time you survive a brush with death, you get to rest in such a comfortable place. I really envy you!" Elysia broke the silence, her bright face filled with envy, and she winked.
"I felt something was off when I saw Frieren and Kaguya last time. They didn't seem like concubines at all. So you like playing these kinds of ordinary dating games."
Is this not an illusion?
Many people looked even more surprised. If the authority of the 'True Self' sees through all illusions, and even Elysia says so, then it proves that this is the lair of 'Taiyi', and not some psychological tactic.
But how could that be? This is 'Taiyi', not to mention standing high in the sky, it also resides in a magnificent palace, overlooking all aspects of human life. Upon further reflection, this seemingly ordinary thing is incredibly sophisticated.
What palaces haven't I seen? In some dungeons, a building is bigger than a planet, and all the quests take place on its floors. It's this ordinariness that highlights the extraordinary nature of its owner. You should know that even the people serving tea and water are epic-level players.
You see, as long as you're strong enough, there will always be great scholars to debate the classics for you.
Yuuki winked at the Yuki behind him. He didn't need to do anything fancy to show off his status, like building a huge palace. That would just seem too tacky.
"That's precisely why I'm seeking to return," Yuki said calmly, stepping into the living room. "At my level, I do what's comfortable. Why bother with all that pretentious stuff when I've invited you all here?"
"I like the real you. Speaking of which, you're really lazy. This private space is obviously infinitely large, isn't it?" Elysia was perfect for being a straight man, and as soon as she said this, everyone came back to their senses.
Looking out the window, there was a garden, and beyond the garden lay the azure sea. This virtual reality technology wasn't exactly high-end, but beyond the sea lay an infinite expanse.
This is terrifying. The more permissions a pioneer has, the greater their independent space becomes. What this 'infinity' means is self-evident.
"And this TV of yours, the content playing on it doesn't look like entertainment footage?" Kong pointed at the TV; he had already noticed something was wrong.
"Yes, it's playing the 'Hometown' signal."
Wow, this is beyond the game's design!
Their surprised gazes were tinged with awe. They couldn't even see their homeland; their timelines were completely chaotic. Did this mean that the flow of time in the Thorny Rose and the Borderlands was the same?
This ordinary room suddenly became extraordinary; even if you built a colossal structure comparable to a planet, it would be impossible to surpass the game's setting.
The sea is not valued for its depth, but for the dragons that inhabit it.
These secrets are the reason why Yuki is not looked down upon. There's no need for elaborate crafting; even if these big shots were sitting in a cesspool, they could still smell a hint of fragrance.
Yuki took the coffee from Hayasaka Ai and strolled casually through the crowd, his smile gentle, as if it were a social gathering.
"I've worked with some of you before, and I'm meeting some of you for the first time. There's no need for introductions; I know who you are." Yuki leaned against the wall, took a sip of coffee, and, not being a man of many words, simply didn't bother with beating around the bush.
"You are all carefully selected, absolutely trustworthy individuals, and you have various demands. You must already know about the process of the 'Night Parade of One Hundred Demons' battle."
Yuki's attitude was excellent in getting others to risk their lives, and he saw a group of people nodding repeatedly.
That experiment was decisive. It was precisely because that faction broke free from the Reincarnation Game that people dared to place their bets. It's impossible that the 'Savior' and the 'Classic of Mountains and Seas' were colluding to deceive people.
"That's exactly why we're here." Geralt took the cigar from Johnny Silverhand, took an epic deep drag, and exhaled a smoke ring. "Good tactic. You had Lady Ryougi Shiki organize everything from the beginning. Even if the Judge noticed, they could only trace it back to Valhalla at most, and would know nothing about you personally."
"Your Excellency Hunter, please allow me to correct you, even if the Judge knows the clues, there is still nothing he can do to me," Yuki replied with a smile, making everyone realize what he meant.
Yes, even if there's a traitor among them who leaks information to the Judge, so what? They're the ones who will suffer. There's no way they can behead Taiyi.
If he doesn't activate resonance, the Judge can't even get in; at most, they'll target those around him.
The real mastermind is someone you know who is, but you still have no way to control.
"Of course, having you all here also demonstrates my determination. The longer this drags on, the greater the probability of failure. If I had chosen to run away, I wouldn't have come this far." Yuki reassured everyone with his calm tone. In such a casual meeting, he had no intention of commanding the heroes.
We are all comrades with shared interests; there's no need to distinguish between high and low status.
"What we care about isn't resolve, but commitment." A deep male voice rang out. A tall man in red, leaning against the wall, spoke, "How can you guarantee that you won't betray us after we've given you our full support?"
This is the question most players are most concerned about: what if Yuki uses them and then abandons them, leaving the rest of us helpless?
Yuki turned her head and looked at the tall man with black hair and red clothes—no, to be precise, he was a vampire.
"Alucard, I cannot guarantee that. At our level, bypassing the contract is not impossible."
"You mean, we have no choice but to trust each other?" Alucard grinned, revealing a rather manic smile.
"It's about trusting Miss Elysia. If that's not enough, let me be more explicit." Yuki put down his coffee cup, straightened his back, and said, "If you all want to fulfill your long-cherished wish and escape hell, I am the only path. That's precisely why I had Miss Ryougi Shiki carefully select you."
Are these two things related?
"Yes, the Thorny Rose is the final battleground. We need to severely damage the Judge here, but the Reincarnation Game will react violently. In just a short time, it can restore the Judge. This window of opportunity is very short, and I don't want to keep fighting like this indefinitely."
Yuki cut to the chase, clearly stating his overall strategy: he had no intention of being a liberator, much less a savior of freedom; on the contrary, he was extremely selfish.
"My goal is simply to get rid of this faction. Inviting you all was based on the success rate, and sending you away is merely a reward for the deal."
"You mean, we just benefited from it?" Taihou asked resentfully.
"Yes, if I can do it myself, I won't notify anyone, and I won't get involved in any unnecessary karma." Yuki, always honest, met the complex gaze with a detached tone. "There are no heroes in the Reincarnation Game, no selfless good Samaritans. You reap what you sow."
They don't talk about ideals or have any magnanimity; everything is just about business.
Those present were all seasoned veterans, seasoned by countless battles; they had heard all sorts of boastful talk. Such cold, hard words only made them more believable. If Yuki had come up with the intention of 'liberating all oppressed players,' many would probably have already backed down.
"What will you do after you send away the Thorny Rose?" Esdeath, the 'Ice Queen,' was quite interested; she liked men with such absolute rationality.
Yuki silent, then pointed to the screen on the television. Everyone immediately understood why they wanted to meet in such an ordinary room.
Turns out, he was using cheats.
Since Taiyi had the ability to possess it, there was nothing more to say. Everyone was already mentally prepared and trusted Elysia's True Self authority. Yuki added the last trace of doubt.
"Is there anyone else who wants to quit?" Shiki Ryougi, raised her head. She was very satisfied with Yuki's response; there was no need for her to step in and smooth things over.
This is the last chance; there can be no wavering after this. Elysia rested her chin on her hand, her gaze sweeping over the familiar faces.
"Everyone's very determined, so let's do it."
Her words were more effective than any contract item; even the slightest wavering could not escape her notice. Only after hearing these words did Yuki breathe a sigh of relief.
Success! With so many experts gathered, we finally have some confidence.
Choosing a Thorny Rose are destined not to be the protagonists, but why let Thorny Rose be the protagonists when they hold the only path to freedom?
"Miss Mebius, please..."
"Wait." Elysia suddenly raised her hand, saw Yuki's serious look, and grinned. "Don't you think this little living room is too crowded? Let's talk in the garden."
Dozens of players crowded the living room, and many people didn't even have a place to sit, so they had to lean against the wall. High-class characters like Alucard couldn't possibly sit on a small stool.
"Okay, let's go to the garden." Yuki also felt that they couldn't be too casual, so he gestured for them to go.
The group immediately moved to the garden. It wasn't exactly magnificent, but at least there were chairs to sit on, and with some tea or coffee served, they could enjoy the pleasant sunshine, making it feel more like a spring gathering.
'Couldn't you have gotten a more formal conference room, you bastard?'
Mebius stared at Yuki with a mournful expression. This was supposed to be one of the most important reports of her life, and it had turned out like this.
Some people were sitting with their legs crossed, some were sipping red tea, some were chatting quietly, and that pink-haired fat woman was even sitting on a swing. Did she even realize what kind of occasion this was?
"Hey, you don't even have an electronic screen."
"Let's skip the PPT presentation and get straight to the results." Yuki on purpose. If they really had a conference room, believe it or not, Mebius could overwhelm everyone with all sorts of charts and data.
"Hmm, Mebius, every time you give a report, I fall asleep instantly. Just get to the result," Elysia chimed in, while also getting Mona to push her up even higher.
The process is what makes research meaningful. Is there some kind of "lazy bliss" about this place? Why is everyone so unmotivated?
Mebius gritted her teeth; they'd taken away all her tools. She couldn't just read from a bunch of data.
"Okay, I'll try to use the most concise language possible."
She stored the materials, which were taller than a person, into her storage space, much to the relief of many. Everyone had sharp eyes; although there were only one or two thousand pages of documents, each page was actually Chaos Item, enough to encrypt tens of thousands of words.
"First, the investigation into the remaining players of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons has concluded. The Judge covered it up, but there were too many of them. I had arranged for surveillance in advance and confirmed that these people had become 'Forsaken' stranded in the Borderlands."
This was a pre-arranged experiment; a group of evil spirit players were deliberately released, and by the time the Judge tried to cover their tracks, it was too late.
"The Forsaken? Aren't those players trapped in dungeons?" Aegir asked curiously, holding his teacup.
Like the Forsaken and the Lost Ones, the disillusioned are precisely defined, just like Wu Raian, whom Yuki encountered before, who was trapped in the instance for some reason and couldn't get out.
"If you consider the Outpost as your home, and you cannot return to your original camp, then you Forsaken. Of course, you can choose a different name if you wish."
"Let's call Forsaken, but how do they stay in the Borderlands?" Kong raised his hand, always interested in setting-related questions. "Doesn't staying in the Borderlands cost points? No player can stay there for long; once they run out of points, they'll be sent back."
"Based on my research on more than 10 'Forsaken,' their stay in the Borderlands no longer requires a points system; you can consider it as an alternative mechanism for Reincarnation Game."
Huh? The Reincarnation Game was prepared all along?
Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. This was clearly a hidden setting, a pre-arranged escape route. Upon further reflection, since the purpose of the Reincarnation Game was to select warriors, they wouldn't waste resources in vain.
"So... they've actually benefited from this misfortune? The Borderlands is a great place; it's rumored to be a rest area for reincarnators. Does this mean they're getting reincarnator benefits ahead of time?"
"It's not really a blessing. Players are like fuel; those who want to stay and keep burning, there's no reason for the Reincarnation Game to give up."
"Ha, the Reincarnation Game is quite gentle, giving players choices anytime, anywhere."
"Stop talking nonsense. They're practically begging to kill us, but overall this is good news. Some of the masochists in my camp can stay. Good luck to them."
The players, seated throughout the garden, began to discuss. The casually placed benches were perfect for chatting, and Yuki. Everyone here was a seasoned veteran, capable of sparking many insightful ideas, and he could also gather some information along the way.
Organizing activities in faction-based groups will not satisfy every player. Even within the Thorny Rose, some players enjoy the thrill of navigating life and death. Differences among other factions will be even more pronounced.
"Good news. It's always difficult to deal with local players who are dragging their feet. Since the Reincarnation Game has given us the option to stay, we can keep to ourselves." Yuki up, pausing the discussion slightly, and then nodded to Shiki Ryougi, saying, "Please have the Valhalla leak this news, and it would be best to get some witnesses."
"Okay." Shiki Ryougi replied crisply and decisively; this operation was actually quite difficult.
The Judge must keep the secret, otherwise he will lose the help of some players for nothing. As for how to do it, that is not what Yuki cares about. Isn't that what it is to win over a group of people?
"Mebius, tell us about the entire experimental process and share the results with everyone."