Chapter 614
He had no time to think it through, and he didn't want his head to become a prize. An even greater burst of energy caused his deep blue skin to turn pale.
Meteor Burst!!
His speed and power increased once again, far exceeding the scope of teleportation. Yuki's sword sliced through the afterimage, and his enormous fist was already pressed against his cheek.
Thump!
A city would be reduced to dust before this punch. Yuki's head tilted and he flew out. Just before landing, he saw the enormous fist magnify in his field of vision. Khorne's champion was not confused; his instincts kicked in and he reacted.
The Time Tide.
The fist slowed down in his eyes as he spun in the air, watching it glide past his chest like a hot knife through butter, leaving a finger-deep gash. He straightened his right hand and slashed at the opponent's waist.
Boom--
The earth trembled violently, and a crater hundreds of meters deep and thousands of meters in diameter appeared in the middle of the desert. The Judge were guarding the area there turned to dust on the spot without even uttering a sound.
In terms of destructive power, Boros's casual strike already surpassed his pre-player form. He not only regained his power but also advanced further. However, a sharp pain shot through his waist as the Black Blade pierced his abdomen.
Time travel?
The Six Gods' Authority has evolved. Under the cover of the Time Tide, ordinary players can only do Sadist movements in place, but Boros actually used brute force to break free from the reverse time.
"But that's not enough! Far from enough!!"
In terms of melee strength alone, Taiyi is no less powerful than myself, and he even possesses the ability to reverse time. Does the limit of epic power not exist for Him?
The two sides were evenly matched, and he had no way to escape. The Earth Authority amplified the gravity thousands of times, suppressing his speed. Yuki did not draw his sword, but the Avatar of Strife reappeared, wielding a dazzling white light and slashing down directly.
The Judgment Sword!
He erased everything and pierced through the energy emanating from Boros. Instead of forcibly escaping, he chose to confront his Destiny.
Fighting the strongest—isn't that my lifelong dream?!
An elbow strike landed squarely on Yuki's chest, while the Spear of Decay pierced Boros's abdomen. The two top players ravaged the air and the ground, sometimes disappearing into the stars, sometimes crashing to the earth.
Close-quarters combat may seem to lack technical skill at first glance, but even an Epic Tier I Judge tries to join this carnage will be blasted apart by the aftershocks if they step within a kilometer's radius.
It was a battle of attrition, a life for a life. But the more Boros struggled, the more excited Yuki. Hunting the heads of powerful warriors was the lifelong pursuit of every Khorne Champion, especially since this particular warrior had exceptional regenerative abilities and was nearly immortal until his energy was depleted.
He could hear nothing but the Blood God's joyful laughter; he felt no pain, only an intense thirst for blood.
Piercing skin, tearing muscles, breaking spines, thirsting for blood, the Star River Overlord, like a whetstone, constantly squeezed the body's instincts, constantly testing the Limit set by Taiyi himself.
Why don't you die!
Boros was engulfed in a nightmare, unleashing his full power. He broke Taiyi's wings and shattered almost every bone in his body, but no matter what wounds he suffered, he could not stop this killing machine.
Regenerative Tail, Vitality Shift, Insect Demon Armor.
Yuki unleashed his skills haphazardly, instinct being his best strategy. He spread his hands to meet the Star-Shattering Cannon, powerful enough to sink a giant island. His palms melted in the high energy, and the Void Conversion back to replenish his body.
Annihilation, regeneration—the longsword sliced through Boros's chest, revealing the hidden energy core that emitted a dazzling purple light, forming a swift and thin blade.
All-Cutting Slash.
Boros had been waiting for this. Even the Time Tide couldn't stop the energy blade's slash. He saw the blade pierce Taiyi's body, slicing him in two from head to hip, but the line of blood only lasted for a moment.
Vitality Shift.
The fatal blow was transferred to the clone. In Boros's bewildered gaze, he grabbed the energy core, which was enveloped in countless rays of blood and light, making it impossible to pull out.
But Yuki showed no intention of drawing his sword; he simply gripped the core with one hand and raised the blade with the other.
Soul Extraction.
His left hand was like a fusion reactor in his grasp, allowing Boros to bombard his body madly and futilely, and then, in his contracted pupils, he plunged the knife into his neck.
One cut, two cuts, three cuts—like the most focused butcher, until he takes the head.
"Boros is dead!"
The Hundred Eyes of True Knowledge was broadcasting live. Solomon, slightly out of breath, lowered his hands, which were covered in rings, and seemed somewhat disgusted by this convenient tool for reincarnation.
A nameless sense of dread spread through the Hundred Eyes of True Knowledge. Every Grand Judge saw the Star River Overlord being crushed by 'Taiyi' in his most proficient domain. They were anxious, they frantically offered their support, and they stood still.
That's right, Shiki Ryougi and the others couldn't stop all the Grand Inquisitors, but seeing Boros's fate, who would dare to rush over to help? The coordinates of the Judgment Domain are random, but the black vortex is like the two sides of a door; passing through it leads to a fixed location.
The battle had moved far beyond the gates. Every Grand Inquisitor's calculations were accurate to the millimeter, allowing them to predict when to join the fray. In that short time, Boros was already doomed.
I can't make it, or rather, it wouldn't matter if I did make it.
He glanced at the figures blocking the vortex. Shiki Ryougi Shiki's katana was covered in cracks, Elysia's gorgeous dress was full of tears, Taiyi Daoist had turned into a handsome young man, Mebius had turned into a child.
Countless Nether Butterfly fluttered in the sky. Just now, he had personally killed 'Taiyi', but it turned out that it was not a substitute, but merely a decoy.
Many players perished, and their evaporated blood turned the sky a purplish-red.
Solomon could choose to charge in head-on; he only needed to withstand a few blows to return to the Judgment Domain. But what use would he be if he went back? Just to line up and die?
"One more time! One more time!"
Aatrox the Roar; he was the Grand Inquisitor who truly wanted to support him. He annihilated the Landscape and Society Map, pierced the Jewel Mage, and defeated King Hassan, but the price was that his sword was covered in cracks.
You don't even have 30% of your strength left, are you going to throw your life away?
Solomon wouldn't act like a reckless brute; the last one to go to such extremes was Boros, with whom he's now completely out of touch.
The Judgment Domain has been wiped out; no one knows what the outcome will be if they cross that door.
"Aizen, shall we gamble?" At that moment, he remembered another person who had joined the battle early on but immediately left the battlefield after discovering that this group was desperately trying to stop him.
"There's no need to gamble anymore. This is a very clever psychological tactic. They couldn't even get back to the two Outpost. Haven't you realized what their mission is?"
Solomon remained silent, but he had obviously discovered that Shiki Ryougi and the others would send out the lead bird to intercept those behind them, thus achieving a kind of piecemeal tactic.
Taiyi's mission is to create fear, using the absolute power to kill Boros to make the remaining Grand Inquisitors think twice. That's why the piecemeal tactics seem foolish.
"If you had used all your strength just now, at least two Grand Inquisitors could have gone to your aid."
"This is pointless. Taiyi can freely move between any factions unless Faction Judgment is used, but then the remaining people won't be able to provide support." Aizen's tone was indifferent; this was just the second way to instill fear.
"Boros is doomed. If it were the two of us going in, could you say we were guaranteed victory? Besides, conducting Faction Judgment requires a moment of preparation time. Do you dare bet that 'Taiyi' won't be faster than us?"
Solomon pursed his lips. This was truly an unsolvable dead end. Boros had launched Faction Judgment, and they could only collect his corpse. If they didn't launch one, Taiyi could leave at any time. Even if they kept Him, judging from the power He had shown, the two Grand Inquisitors might not necessarily win. There was very little room for error left. If the two Grand Inquisitors fell, there would be no point in fighting anymore.
"So, Boros died in vain?"
"He deserved to die because he fell for the trap, but he made Taiyi go all out and drew out Taiyi's core team, making him more valuable than the Man of Truth." Aizen was cold and ruthless, showing no compassion for those who had failed him. "I've found the weakness now. Are you willing to gamble?"
"Attack where they must defend?"
"No, it's a swap of strongholds. I gave him the Judgment Domain, and he gave me the Thorny Rose." Aizen was gambling big. He stood on the top of a building, gazing at the sky.
A massive rift, a black vortex, and a constant stream of Judge gathering, while the players who had been locked in a fierce struggle were now dispersing.
Based on this alone, he was certain that Taiyi had no intention of fighting to the death, and that it was merely a feint.
"Time is running out. If we return to the Judgment Domain and find nothing, we won't be able to find his weakness. Although I don't understand Taiyi's purpose, I know that he doesn't want us to do something, but we will do it anyway."
Sometimes gentle, sometimes fierce, Taiyi is like a master of rhythm, constantly placing pieces in another dimension; following his rhythm, there is only despair.
Solomon's face darkened. He could see Aatrox roaring and repairing his body, as well as Sephiroth and the Herrscher of Finality, caught in a dilemma. Especially the latter, who couldn't save Boros in time, was far from the main camp, and faced countless players attacking them. Taiyi's next target was very likely them.
Suddenly, he lost sight of Sephiroth and the Herrscher of Finality, his breathing became rapid, and he almost instinctively said:
What do you need me to do?
"Come with me to find another point of resonance; I have a way to stop the ritual."
Solomon didn't question that the true form of the Hundred Eyes of True Knowledge was in Aizen's body, but he asked with some doubt, "What did you do to the Hundred Eyes of True Knowledge? They couldn't have perished so instantly."
The loss of the ability to observe across time and space is not a problem if everyone is in the Thorny Rose, but now that we are separated into two Outpost, it has brought endless chaos.
"I didn't do anything. I just confirmed why 'Taiyi' was able to accurately predict our location."
"The Hundred Eyes of True Knowledge that he devoured?"
"Yes, and it's constantly evolving. Don't forget that you also have clones within you."
One mystery has been solved, but it's not that important. We already knew Taiyi had the ability to see through things when the war started. What's scary is that this ability can evolve.
The nature of the matter has changed; Taiyi's pursuit of the Grand Inquisitor is not simply a matter of altering the balance of power.
Solomon dared not make any rash moves, glancing at the wounded Ryougi Shiki and the Shiki Ryougi.
"We have to keep them here no matter what."
Before he finished speaking, Aatrox had already charged forward. This time, Shiki Ryougi and the others did not fight to the death, but instead made way for him and fled in all directions.
"You see, he planned this all along. If you want to go back, then go ahead." Aizen had anticipated this outcome and understood Taiyi's habits.
When it comes to a fight to the death, he is more ruthless than anyone else; when it comes to controlling the pace of the game, he is more cunning than anyone else. This ruthlessness and cunning also affect other players. Just a moment ago, they could fight to the death to block him, but now they run faster than rabbits.
As the demonic sword roared, Solomon's face twitched. The path home was now open, but it was a path that Taiyi had willingly paved. Anyone with a brain could tell that following the trend would not end well.
"Disperse. Kill as many as you can." He ordered those behind him, paused for a moment, and added, "Regroup in five minutes and follow Lord Aizen's orders."
Ignoring everyone else, Solomon had made up his mind that following Taiyi's lead would inevitably lead to defeat, and he would only die a miserable death in an endless tug-of-war.
"See, I told you we'd gained something." Aizen cupped his hands, admiring the chase scene unfolding in the sky. He hadn't gone all out earlier, nor had he stopped Uchiha Madara his full power; he had been observing more than anything else.
"The harvest? We've lost a Grand Inquisitor."
"The moment 'True Self' made its move, Boros was already dead. Even if we rushed in with all our might, we would only be collecting his body."
"He might not necessarily die at that time."
"If you suffer a severe injury that cannot be recovered from in a short time, you're considered dead in my eyes." Aizen smiled gently, his words cruel yet irrefutable.
With only one hour left, the return ceremony will enter its third phase. If Boros manages to recover even 30% of his strength, wouldn't that be tantamount to death?
"He's monitoring this place. Going in one by one is suicide. If too many people go, He'll immediately escape, and we'll only waste time and generate more differing opinions. I'm tired of this cat-and-mouse game."
"Because if he keeps grabbing it, it will turn into a cat? And in a little while, we'll turn into mice?"
Aizen paused for a moment, then nodded with a smile.
Uchiha Madara is absolutely right. At the start of the war, the ten Grand Inquisitors had overwhelming power, but as the war progressed, only six remained, and three of them were completely out of control, even losing their ability to communicate across factions.
The balance of power is subtly shifting, and the advantage is crumbling. Anyone who dares to act alone now is doomed.
"But your plan is based on the premise that Taiyi will never give up on 'Thorny Rose,' and on the assumption that He cannot open up more battlefields." Uchiha Madara questioned. What they feared most now was not Yuki jumping out to fight, but opening the third floodgate and letting the long-accumulated flood of the Reincarnation Game Torrent out.
In particular, they lost real-time monitoring across factions, and spreading out would be suicidal. But the question is, can they ignore Taiyi's "opening of the floodgates"?
"That's right, but gambling involves winning and losing. I'd rather take the risk than get caught up in its rhythm. Time is running out."
Through the endless pursuit and the black vortex, Aizen seemed to see a blurry star in the Judgment Domain. He was lying in wait, ready to strike anyone who dared to enter.
The game's tension was building, but He suppressed his desire and answered calmly.
Let's wait and see.
Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock.
Crimson blood fell onto the carbonized desert. Yuki removed his formal attire, an immense mental burden washing over him, making every pore tremble.
But he still held his gun, aiming at the two black vortexes in front of him. Anyone who dared to enter would be struck on the head. This passage, forged by the Reincarnation Game itself, was practically a bug, impossible to be blocked by anything. However, once one occupied the Judgment Domain, one could simply wait for the enemy to come to them.
He brutally murdered Boros, solely to send a message:
One Grand Inquisitor is not enough to kill me, and even two are not enough.
For this reason, his bottom line for all battlefields was that no more than two Grand Inquisitors should be allowed to enter at the same time; this was a way to make an example of someone.
Boros was like that monkey; a brief moment's difference led to his tragic death. Who would dare to venture in alone? You did rush in, but are you sure your companions can keep up? If they don't, won't you suffer the same fate as Boros?
The plan succeeded. While the Grand Inquisitors stationed in various locations were not exactly unmoved, none of them dared to take the risk themselves.
After two feints and two base-switching tactics, it's finally time to make an example of them. If Shiki Ryougi and the others really can't stop me, I'll run away immediately. It's always good to buy some time.
"But God helps those who help themselves. By killing Boros, I got what I wanted."
Good news! The Truth's Eye has evolved a shielding function, obscuring the two-way transparent battlefield, so now no one can see the other's location.
This is fair, but it's also unfair that Yuki stands in the intermediary Judgment Domain, because this thing can be monitored in real time, while any other communication device has a time lag.
He's doing alright here. With Shiina Hiyori in charge of the central area, news from Thorn Thorny Rose can still get in quickly. It's a bit slower for Forgotten Hidden Jianghu. Anyway, Geralt is using ordinary players as cannon fodder to try his best to entangle Sephiroth and the Herrscher of Finality.
Even so, they could no longer hold them off. Fortunately, the two Grand Inquisitors abandoned their attempt to break through and chose to defend the area. This demonstrates the synergistic effect of the three battlefields.
Without the real-time monitoring of the Hundred Eyes of True Knowledge, it's like having a black veil over our eyes; who would dare to come in directly? Waiting for news in the normal way is futile; the Judgment Domain has already been wiped out.