Reincarnation Stream Player

"Hmm, I've been looking along the way and these are all just ordinary rooms. Even if we don't know the attack power of the Living Corpse, they wouldn't be able to withstand the strength of an average adult." Yuki replied without looking up.

He had just tested those wooden doors one by one, and none of them had any Transcendental Grade protection. Even if you count them as the lowest tier of 'Living Corpse' from the Resident Evil series, they would fall apart after a few hits.

"But we have two veteran players. What if we find a favorable terrain to defend? For the third day, we only need to survive for 48 hours at most."

"We haven't found a single bit of food or water yet. Li Dan and Thomas are certainly stronger than normal people, but they aren't immortals. Heavy combat consumes a lot of stamina." Yuki's pen tip paused, and he squeezed out a smile:

"Have you noticed? There was clearly a liquor cabinet in the main hall at the beginning, but the bottles inside were all empty."

Mai Sakurajima's swinging calves paused. It was true; there were no signs of human survival here. Forget food and water, she hadn't even found a single piece of clothing. It was like an isolated island besieged by Living Corpses, with nothing but the Crimson Moonlight visible when looking outside.

"So Li Dan went to the garden to look for food? Why didn't he just say so?"

Yuki looked up, his eyes filled with admiration. For an ordinary person to draw inferences and think of this was already quite impressive.

"Because he looks like a good person, but in an Infinite Genre Game, there's no such thing as a saint. All kindness must be predicated on self-preservation. Besides, do you think it's a coincidence that the most muscular newcomer was assigned to be with him?"

"What does Infinite Genre Game mean?"

"That's not important. Just assume it's very cruel and that killing each other is allowed."

Reminded of this, Mai Sakurajima really did feel there were some issues. If one were to rank the value of the newcomers, that black man with arms thicker than her thighs was clearly the most useful.

Groundless, malicious speculation. But aren't I looking at him with that same perspective?

Mai Sakurajima felt she had no right to criticize Yuki, but then she felt something was off. A moment ago, this guy had been acting dull and slow-witted, yet now he was meticulous and possessed astonishing observational skills. Was he done acting in front of her?

"You know me? Hmm, no wonder you were staring at me when you came in."

Yuki glanced at the long, black-stockinged legs beside his hand, where a small black high heel was swinging gently, giving off a lazy, seductive vibe.

Women really do affect my sword-drawing—no, my thinking speed. Black stockings are like black holes that can suck a person's soul away.

During the brief rest, he decided to relax their nerves and revealed a strange smile:

"Mai Sakurajima, you are indeed famous, but I noticed you for reasons unrelated to your fame."

"Then why?"

"Because you're dressed too provocatively. Any normal person would look."

Yuki looked up, his face devoid of much expression other than a faint smile, but it was this rational lust that made Mai Sakurajima instantly blush, instinctively wrapping her shawl tighter.

"You—I thought you were an honest man, but you're actually a pervert!"

A pervert? If I weren't currently in a 'conquest' state, focusing most of my attention elsewhere, I'd let you know exactly what a 'Male Black Sphere' is.

He glanced at his watch. The rest period was over, and Yuki immediately looked away as if he had been using an alarm clock.

There was no lingering gaze, and the strange smile that had just appeared was nowhere to be seen.

"Honest men usually don't live long, so—"

"I'm not being an honest man."

Chapter 8: Rite of the Crimson Moon (Revised)

Yuki was certainly not honest, but he couldn't be called evil, and he had nothing to do with being antisocial or tyrannical.

The preparations he had made over the years were to deal with crises so he could truly enjoy a normal, youthful daily life. If he had to change his personality to do so, wouldn't that be putting the cart before the horse?

He tapped his fingers on his thigh, sliding through the deep crimson light, listening carefully to the sounds coming from the walkie-talkie.

The other two groups hadn't found anything either. That garden completely defied common sense; it bloomed so brilliantly, yet not a single drop of water could be found. As for the unknown fruit, no one dared to try it. Li Dan decided to go up to the city walls to take a look.

Hayasaka Ai was wandering around the building, occasionally making some noisy sounds, though it was unclear what she was doing.

The unknown hung over everyone like the moonlight. Even Yuki relaxed a little, thinking about how he should use his enhancement count. But since he still didn't know what the crisis was, he had to endure.

Twenty minutes of rest. Time to continue.

He glanced at his watch and turned his head with a smirk: "Hey, are you still angry?"

Mai Sakurajima sat in the corner, propping her head up and ignoring him, a faint "Hmph" sound drifting over.

The two of them had become somewhat familiar. Just a moment ago, Yuki had decisively thrown out his 'heart-to-heart' stance, only to end up annoying the Bunny Girl Senpai.

"I was telling the truth, and only the truth can allow us to trust each other."

"Hmph, it was just too unpleasant to hear." Mai Sakurajima finally turned her head, her purple eyes filled with dissatisfaction.

Whether it was the dungeon prompts or personal preference, Yuki was willing to be bound to Mai Sakurajima. But in a game, there was no time to slowly get to know each other, so Yuki added a reason for his trust:

"You're too famous. If you backstab me and I happen to not die, it won't be hard to find you for revenge."

Good thing I stopped my acting career for a few years, otherwise this would be impossible to play. Mai Sakurajima deeply felt the disadvantages of being an idol. According to Li Dan, they had to return to reality after clearing the dungeon. This guy was clearly not far from her, and the reason was so realistic it was impossible to refute.

But it's still more reassuring than trust without any reason.

Annoyance aside, Mai Sakurajima admitted the reason was quite fitting, because the reverse was also true—given her connections, finding him for revenge wouldn't be difficult either.

"Fine, we're in the same boat anyway, and you're still more reliable than the others." Mai Sakurajima walked back, her eyes full of wariness: "But you are not allowed to have any strange thoughts about me."

"That's hard, given your outfit." Yuki teased, then immediately corrected himself: "But I can try."

"That's more like it." The young girl lowered her raised foot, her liveliness slightly restored.

This beautiful girl was thorny, just like the short blade she kept in her hand. According to her, she might not be able to kill others, but she could kill herself. If she were covered in blood, others probably wouldn't have any interest in her anymore.

Fine.

In this dangerous game, he had no need for a damsel in distress; he didn't ask for her to be useful, but at the very least, she shouldn't hold him back.

After a brief rest, the two continued to explore the Ancient Castle. Crossing the Banquet Hall led to another building, which appeared to be quarters for guards or servants, its decor far less luxurious than the previous wing.

The carpets were gone, and their leather shoes made a "creak-creak" sound against the floorboards. The wall bricks were covered in fine cracks, and the Crimson Moonlight shone through these gaps and windows, feeling truly inescapable.

The walkie-talkie crackled with static, and Hayasaka's voice could no longer be heard, causing Mai Sakurajima to suddenly press close to Yuki, feeling a chill run down her spine.

"Why don't we head back? We definitely won't find any food."

"I know." Yuki saw several plates in a cramped corner, not even a breadcrumb left on them. "You aren't so hungry that you can't walk, are you?"

Mai Sakurajima's face flushed slightly, and she instinctively covered her flat stomach. It wasn't that going without water for over four hours was a big deal, but once her taut nerves relaxed, she felt an intense craving for food.

"No."

"Really?"

"Really, no! I just think wasting energy like this is irrational."

Your stomach is growling, and it's the middle of the night; dinner should have been ten hours ago.

Yuki was just as thirsty and hungry, but he didn't call her out. He replied casually, "I'm not looking for food; I'm looking for a place where the Crimson Moonlight can't reach. Maybe there will be some unexpected gains."

Huh?

Mai opened her mouth slightly, watching his serious profile, unable to keep up with his train of thought.

Normal people were searching for water and food, yet this person was looking for places where the moonlight couldn't reach.

"Why? Is there any value in that?"

"No value for now, but this game has puzzle-solving elements, and to solve them, you need information. You can't let yourself be led by the nose." Yuki pushed open a wooden door and saw a staircase leading to the first floor. "Have you noticed? It's almost four in the morning, and that Crimson Moonlight hasn't moved at all."

She was right.

Mai Sakurajima looked out the window; that red moon hanging alone in the night sky truly hadn't descended with the passage of time. But what did that mean? It wasn't even certain they were still on Earth.

"Let's just go back. We're getting further and further away from Li Dan and the others."

"Don't be impatient. Let's find the basement first. A castle can't exist without one."

The girl rolled her eyes in frustration, having underestimated Yuki's stubbornness. She glanced back at the gloomy corridor and hurried into the stairwell, only to crash into Yuki's back when he stopped abruptly.

"What are you doing now?"

"Shh."

Yuki turned and made a gesture for silence. His stern expression immediately made Mai Sakurajima shut her mouth, staring at the man without daring to even breathe loudly.

With their eyes locked, the two were almost pressed against each other, yet there was no romantic tension; both were straining their ears and tensing their muscles.

Is he trying to take advantage of me on purpose? Mai Sakurajima realized she was practically in Yuki's arms. Just as she prepared to pull away, she heard a strange sound.

Thud.

It sounded like footsteps, or perhaps water droplets hitting the floor. Aside from the static on the walkie-talkie, she heard a sound like a bellows breathing. Almost at the same time, both of them looked up.

Upstairs? Was that Hayasaka's group?

Mai Sakurajima instinctively reached for the walkie-talkie, but a glare from Yuki made her instinctively pull back. She didn't know why, but after these few hours together, Yuki gave her a very professional impression.

He wasn't a veteran player, but he certainly didn't look like a clueless newcomer either.

Is this the gift of the Crimson Moonlight?

Yuki hadn't forgotten [Hint Four]. He wasn't just exploring the basement; he wanted to know what the 'gift' actually was. At least in front of Mai Sakurajima, he didn't have to hold back.

Thud, thud, thud.

The strange sound grew closer. Yuki kept turning his head, but he saw nothing; his field of vision contained only mottled walls and the Crimson Moonlight he had grown accustomed to.

A certain Arcane Grade atmosphere was brewing. Perhaps it was an illusion, but the Crimson Moonlight in the hallway seemed to be growing thicker. Yuki waited no longer and grabbed Mai Sakurajima's slender wrist.

"Run!"

He turned and bolted back toward the Banquet Hall, ignoring the girl's rapid breathing, focusing his mind decisively.

A transformation had occurred in the deep corridor:

A dark, shapeless object had fallen through the ceiling ahead of them, and crimson liquid was spreading across the floor. Yuki looked closely, only to hear a sharp scream from behind him.

"It's that college student!"

It was indeed the White College Student—at least, the clothes were his. That handsome head, which had possessed a somewhat delicate air, had been turned into a smashed watermelon, and his clothes were soaked in red and white fluid.

Unlike Mai, who only looked at the gore, Yuki observed carefully as he ran past the corpse, noting the massive hole in the chest and the various internal organs that had been gouged out.

It looked like it was caused by sharp claws. Was the opponent a beast-type monster?

The scene was terrifying, but Yuki felt a sense of relief instead. As long as it wasn't a ghost or something similar, he hadn't had the conditions to prepare skills for that kind of threat over the years.

Stepping through the pool of blood, he felt a slick sensation. Mai Sakurajima felt the stench of blood like a hand gripping her throat; this was completely different from the 'head-exploding' novice guide.

This college student had been full of life just a few hours ago, and his gentlemanly demeanor had left a good impression on her. Yet now, his body lay before her like a discarded rag doll.

What about Miss Hayasaka? Will I end up dying this miserably too?

Fear crept into her heart, sending a chill down her spine; it was like the sensation of someone falling off a cliff, where the grip on one's wrist suddenly becomes incomparably clear.

Her fingertips twitched, and she instinctively wanted to grasp Yuki's hand, but soon, even this final reliance vanished without a trace.

Yuki suddenly stopped, turned, and threw her away, staring straight into those purple eyes filled with shock and anger, the meaning within them obvious:

So you really aren't a good person!

This was clearly using her as bait to stall some terrifying monster, yet a moment later, Mai Sakurajima felt she was terribly mistaken.

Snap.

Accompanied by the crisp sound of wood splintering, spiderweb-like cracks covered the floor beneath Yuki's feet, and then, with a "boom," it shattered; amidst the flying wood chips, he plummeted directly to the first floor.

Thud, thud, thud.

Yuki felt sharp pains radiating from all over his body, as if he had collided with several hard objects, but he didn't care about the physical pain at all.

Activate Reinforcement Magecraft.

He couldn't afford to worry about anything else; this first use of a Transcendental Grade skill was in actual combat!

Chapter 9 This Is Transcendental!

[The rules formed in the material world by ancient mages infusing mana...]

Skill explanation, skill history, usage methods, practical experience.

It was as if Yuki had relived a lifetime, following a certain mage to learn Reinforcement Magecraft, even bypassing the shackles of "aptitude."

Isn't this just the signature technique of Shirou Emiya from that moon world?

His understanding was clearly more peculiar than that of an ordinary Player; it wasn't just information being infused, but scenes he had watched in the past flashed through his mind.