Chapter 602

If no one responds, all three methods are correct, but none are easy to implement.

The first point is pointless; if the ritual could be stopped, why would anyone be so troubled? Secondly, such a frenzied attack isn't something you can simply retreat from. Besides, what if so many players break away and the annihilation threshold is reached?

"Let's choose the third option. It won't take long to wipe out these ants!"

"No, the second option is more useful. We know that only the Black Blade can sever the connection, so we can wait for 'Taiyi' to appear."

"The Reincarnation Game is being optimized. Can you guarantee that Taiyi won't get stronger? What if he severs the connection with a single strike? Wouldn't we have wasted our time waiting here?"

"High risk, high reward."

Listening to the debate, Aizen stroked his brow. He wasn't afraid of all sorts of ingenious schemes, but he was afraid that every choice he made would be right. Based on past experience, the right choice often concealed a poisoned bait.

Just then, the Hundred Eyes of True Knowledge in the center of the starry sky underwent a strange change. The countless eyes converged into a single eyeball, emitting a murmur devoid of any emotion.

[Resonance begins, coordinates, Thorny Rose]

Everyone's faces twitched. Aizen exhaled a breath of stale air, pressed the armrest, and stood up.

Okay, no need to think about it anymore.

Chapter Fourteen: Resonance, Beginning

1 hour and 42 minutes.

Inside the living room, the television screen flickered. Yuki looked at the atomic clock; this was the remaining control time for the Overclock Mode. Because every second counted, he didn't launch into a long explanation.

Despite the seemingly tight timeframe, the entire plan proceeded smoothly, with thousands of players taking up defensive positions. The war in the Forgotten Hidden Jianghu continued to advance, and he, like a brain, gathered all the information.

The two-pronged approach was implemented simultaneously. All the plans were prepared when permissions were unlocked, Yuki revised them countless times before presenting them to everyone.

"Have you all remembered your tasks?"

Elysia and the others looked at the plan; the entire framework had been established.

This will be a chaotic battle utilizing the terrain. The Thorny Rose Outpost is incredibly sturdy, possessing countless private spaces. Thousands of players will be scattered throughout the area, engaging in 'street fighting' against the invading Judge.

It can be viewed as a chessboard, with each square further divided into many smaller squares. Through the hard work of a group of civil engineering workers, these squares have become ridiculously large.

On the surface, it looks like one city, but in reality, it's a collection of countless cities stacked together like a honeycomb.

Every building, every room is a battlefield, and every epic player is responsible for an area, Limit the distribution of the Judge's forces.

Shiina Hiyori read it carefully, then kept blinking. They had asked Yuki returned from the 'Night Parade of One Hundred Demons', but Yuki chose to keep it a secret just in case.

Now that this top-secret operational plan was laid out before her, she had a strange feeling.

That's it?

"Aren't you afraid of being picked off one by one?" The Knight King's expression was serious; in her view, this battle plan was simply child's play.

"A head-on confrontation offers no chance of victory; in terms of combat strength, we are far inferior to the Judge." Yuki has been revising his battle plan recently, discovering that as long as the Judge unite, they are unbeatable. "If they split up, they will be defeated one by one. This is my territory, and the Faction Judgment cannot restrict access."

Yuki nodded, Mebius lit up the screen, displaying one of his powers.

"Are any of you capable of teleporting within the Outpost?" The Knight King's interest was piqued.

"Yes, I can also monitor every detail of the Outpost and launch a quick hunt using a short-term overload of troops, provided that there aren't too many people around the target." Yuki pointed to the screen, which displayed a simulated battle scene created using virtual reality.

One of the Grand Inquisitors left the group and was fighting a fierce battle with the Knight King and others. He led his senior and others to jump over and hunt them down, and then made a run for it before reinforcements arrived.

"Wishful thinking. Putting aside whether you can eliminate an Epic IV-rank powerhouse in a short time, why should others act according to your script?" Geralt, as the King of Hunters, has hunted countless players.

"You can't handle two Grand Inquisitors working together; even their squads are more than enough to deal with you."

Yuki is very strong, Mai Sakurajima and the others each have their own strengths, but the enemy isn't stupid either.

This is not enough, far from enough.

"Then let's add a few more people. We can split the teleportation permission into five parts." Yuki pointed to Elysia and Shiki Ryougi.

"But we're not players of Thorny Rose."

"No, you don't need to. Just join my player squad."

Is this even possible?

The group didn't react for a moment, then suddenly realized that 'Taiyi' was not a player from Thorny Rose either.

"Doesn't that mean you can lead us to achieve instantaneous troop overload?"

There are more than a dozen players at Epic Tier III or higher. If they all jump into the same battlefield, even the Grand Inquisitor, who is made of iron, won't be able to withstand it.

"If you can't do it, don't rush, let me explain." Yuki explained in detail. As an authority dog, he also had to follow the rules. If too many permissions were divided, the effectiveness would be greatly reduced. Furthermore, thousands of players needed mid-to-high-level combat power to support them, otherwise they would be crushed in an instant.

"It's still not right. Why should the Judge act according to your script? They could act as a whole, search each room one by one, or even eliminate you personally by taking down generals and capturing flags." King Hassan's eyes were filled with spiritual fire; he was a Grand-rank assassin.

The resonance is triggered by two reincarnation props, just like the two ends of a straight line. Others can ignore all interference and go straight to the other end.

"It's very simple. It's because I have a special place. It's inside the Outpost, yet beyond Outpost. That's where the resonance consciousness is activated." Yuki had conducted experiments when he fully unlocked his permissions. Resonance could be triggered above the starry sky, but all other auras would be obscured.

This is the legacy left by 'Taiyi'. It's like two overlapping spaces, like a nesting doll. If you can't find this exclusive space, you won't even have a chance to break down the door.

After discovering the anomaly of 'Hundred Eyes of True Knowledge', he never considered resonating with it in ordinary space.

Is there another trump card?

The group exchanged bewildered glances. It seemed that Taiyi hadn't chosen this Outpost as the site of the final battle because it was exceptionally fortified; no wonder he hadn't considered other factions.

"Can it really be done?"

"I won't joke with my own life," Yuki seriously.

This is a good thing, proving that Taiyi will not give up the battle easily. After searching the entire Borderlands, it is unlikely that any other faction can be so unique.

Above the starry sky, this exclusive space is inconspicuous in this Outpost; at least from the outside, all the rooms look the same.

"So, the Judge have to find this designated space first before they can find your hiding place? Then they definitely need to split up, otherwise it's too inefficient."

"Yes, the rooms in Thorny Rose are not infinite. I counted them Hiyori one, and there are a total of 77,750. I had the players of Thorny Rose modify 317 of them. These are preset battlefields, arranged completely randomly."

"But they have other methods, such as destroying the entire building," Shiki Ryougi reminded him. The building is like a beehive; you can just remove the beehive.

"There are 1,370 buildings in total, all looking exactly the same. They are ten times stronger than the 'Night Parade of One Hundred Demons' Tenshukaku. I wish they could turn into human demolition machines." Yuki snorted. Appearances are worthless in the Reincarnation Game; these buildings are simply containers for folded spaces.

I don't know who built it, but it's sturdy enough that even if those Judge worked themselves to death, they still couldn't tear it down.

The players exchanged glances, their confidence growing with each word. They had initially been a little upset that their faction wasn't listed first, but now they were finally convinced.

They knew that the Tenshukaku, which those demons had spent a tremendous amount of time building, was constructed by a group of powerful figures who were also skilled in civil engineering, each having built their own fortified stronghold.

This fortress serves as a refuge for a player team and comes with its own teleportation medium. The faction war is divided into two phases: open field battles and siege warfare, much like the final attack of the Sage's Tower by the 'Aether Particles'.

From the outside it looks like a tall tower, but inside it's like an entire world. Players can attack without any worries. As for breaking it from the outside and forcing the rats out, that depends on how sturdy the builders are.

While both are team spaces, the Tenshukaku and the shacks of individual players are completely different. This place is equivalent to having 1,300 Tenshukaku. Trying to eradicate them once and for all would be an exhausting task.

"No wonder you're rushing into a decisive battle. If the war escalates, this advantage will continue to diminish, but right now—"

"This is the chosen battlefield, the true legacy of 'Taiyi,' which can theoretically be divided into 77,750 independent battlefields, and then He uses absolute authority to hunt them down." King Hassan finally understood. They were not starting from scratch, but simply taking a step forward by standing on the shoulders of Giant.

"One last question: the Judge can still go beyond the script and concentrate all forces to guard the link, because in the very end, you will have to personally appear and sever the connection with 'Total Annihilation'."

All eyes turned to them. They had already gained a significant advantage, but never underestimate your enemy.

The strategy of remaining unchanged in the face of constant change is always the most ineffective approach. Even the most foolish Judge would realize something when faced with this seemingly hopeless situation:

Why should I get caught up in the chaos and be picked off one by one? I can just set up another defensive position and hold the link.

"This is my last card." Yuki, of course, wouldn't play coy. Pointing to the flickering television screen, he said, "Miss Elysia, shouldn't I have explained what's in here?"

"Uh, real-time images of your hometown?"

"Then what?"

After thinking for a while, everyone suddenly realized.

So this was the final trump card, the core unique characteristic of Thorny Rose.

One person gathers all the permissions, and the entire Outpost is incredibly sturdy—all things within the game's framework. Theoretically, every player present could do the same, but this one defies common sense.

Ascension means severing all ties with one's homeland. One can only obtain a few words from fellow countrymen. Moreover, according to the timeline, the same world will be divided into countless parallel universes.

"Your hometown is 'unique,' and its time flow is synchronized with that of the Borderlands!?"

Yuki slightly. This didn't need much explanation. If these people knew that his homeland was a composite of countless worlds, they would probably question the meaning of life even more.

Is this a resting place specially created by 'Taiyi'?

Since the Nighttime Murder, Yuki hasn't seen Taiyi, but he can get answers to many questions without asking Taichi himself.

Why was this Outpost desolate and littered with the wreckage of war when the ascension took place? Why was there a special room high in the sky? Why was 'Total Annihilation' located here?

The guessing game ends here. This place is most likely where 'Taiyi' fell. Originally, it was no different from other factions, and those countless vortex channels were indeed merged into one.

As for why 'Taiyi' chose this place, Yuki also made some guesses. After all, that person had killed Corpse Mountain, Blood Sea, and occasionally wanted to change to something completely different, or perhaps he didn't feel very safe. Even if he had a little Transcendental Grade power, he would be a superman if he returned to Earth.

These cards were all prepared in advance by 'Taiyi'; the rest of the journey is now up to him.

"Does everyone have any further questions?"

From the Knight King to the Demon Hunter, everyone shook their heads. This was the decisive battleground personally prepared by 'Taiyi', far surpassing any other faction. If they couldn't win here, then the other Outpost would surely lose even more.

"Two operational objectives: first, liberate the Thorny Rose; second, severely damage the Judge, laying the foundation for future operations." Yuki held up two fingers, his tone short and abrupt:

"The entire Outpost is divided into 10 zones, encompassing 13,172 exclusive spaces. Each zone is assigned two epic-level players to do everything in their power to delay the Judge' advance. Remember, at all costs."

Everyone listened attentively as the light screen projected mosaic-like images covering the entire core area.

Based on the previous experiment, the entire ceremony would take at least four hours. Normally, four hours wouldn't even be enough for a nap, but right now, it would feel like an eternity.

"The players stationed here are: Kalpas, Artoria, Arcueid, Aegir, Tohru Toshiro, Alucard, Esdeath, Amiya, Mari Illustrious Makinami, Kamina, Ikaros, Motoko Kusanagi..."

Yuki out the names one by one, and each person nodded slightly. These 20 players ranged in strength from Epic I to Epic III and were distributed in different areas, with each area mainly consisting of players from their respective factions.

This is the legendary 'blind box tactic': the Judge never knows what's inside the door, and the player defending inside doesn't know who will push the door open.

"Hahaha, I should have brought more lucky charms." Camilla, wearing V-shaped glasses, laughed loudly. She was one of the few who wasn't too nervous, but jokes aside, she wasn't wrong.

It really comes down to luck. If a few high-ranking judges come in, the other party is doomed. But if a few ordinary Judge come in, the other party is in trouble.

"On the other hand, luck is also the fairest option. There are very few items like this in the Reincarnation Game, and very few people actively try to increase their luck." Artoria was still so serious that she actually analyzed the joke.

"It's not just about luck. Hiyori monitors the Outpost and will normally notify you to take cover. Moving from one private space to another isn't difficult." Yuki didn't believe in luck; everything he did was based on the existing conditions.

Of course, there are also abnormal situations, such as the Judge sealing off certain areas and launching lightning raids, but Sōsuke Aizen is not Prophet. Even he would have to suffer losses before finding a solution.

"Note that you cannot abandon your initial space casually; it is the node of each region and is piled with a large number of war tools."

The image is magnified, projecting some exclusive spaces where players who have just set out are frantically installing items, ranging from forbidden spell mage towers to super fission cannons.

This is the second advantage of the terrain. The Judge can only enter through the main gate, and no matter what, they will be hit by several cannon shots. It's a pity there are only about ten factions here, otherwise Yuki would like to install a cannon in every room and aim it at the door.

"Your arrangement is quite interesting. It not only takes advantage of the terrain but also boosts confidence on a psychological level." Shiki Ryougi also realized that this door-blocking attack was very insidious, and the blind box tactic also had a sense of equality for all beings.

In a battle, who stands at the front is an art, but opening blind boxes is different. Some people might die right away, while others might remain on standby until the end of the war.

"Not only that, he has also cut off our retreat. Even if ten Grand Inquisitors entered together, we would still have to fight to the death."

The answer is correct. Treating both sides as pieces is the most efficient way to utilize terrain advantages.

Yuki's thinking was indeed dark. He didn't trust anyone unless they had no other choice. As long as players had a way out, they would retreat without limit. Only by putting themselves in a doomed situation could they unleash their strongest energy.

Killing even one enemy, or the lowest-ranking judge, is fine. All this preparation boils down to Limit the use of cannon fodder.

"I told you, once you're on board, don't even think about getting off." Yuki didn't hide anything, glanced at the atomic clock, and continued, "This is a two-tiered support system. You are the first tier, responsible for supporting this area, while the following personnel are the general reserve team, personally led by me, using teleportation privileges to support ten areas."

Besides the senior student team, the reserve team consists of eight of the most powerful players: Shiki Ryougi, Elysia, Mebius, Geralt, Taiyi Daoist, Demon Child, King Hassan, and Jewel Mage. In terms of numbers, they are about the same as the epic-level players stationed there, but their combat power is on a completely different level.

Yuki never considered crouching down to defend himself; his sole objective was to kill the enemy.

Ten regions, two support systems, over 3,000 players, facing off against Judge approximately 80% of the player's strength.

Can we win?

No one, including Yuki, knew the Yuki. The enemy wasn't stupid; what followed was a matter of responding to each move as it came.

"Go, everyone, hold on for 3 hours, 52 minutes, and 17 seconds, and the door to freedom will open."

No one answered; they simply turned and left silently. Compared to the torment of countless dungeons and the thrill of navigating life and death countless times, these three hours were far too short. But it was precisely because they were so short that they were so eagerly anticipated.

Countless falls and injuries were suffered during this long run, and countless dear friends were lost. With the finish line just ahead, only one thought remained:

He will slay gods and Buddhas alike if they stand in his way.

I told you before that there was no need for a long explanation; they were already in a state of high enthusiasm.