Chapter 615
These two were extremely embarrassed and dared not return to the Judgment Domain. They had no way to join forces with the Thorny Rose. And don't forget, the Demon God Statue was constantly releasing mental nuclear bombs, indiscriminately affecting both sides.
The interceptors are becoming increasingly willing to go to any lengths to delay and wait for the situation to change, and their ambitions are growing wildly.
"These two are done for. Sending more reinforcements will allow us to exchange them. If they insist on charging, I'll kill them. Anyway, those Thorny Rose won't be able to provide timely support."
"The attack window has been created, but under the influence of the Demon God Statue, they probably won't dare to return to the Judgment Domain."
Then, here's the bad news.
"Sōsuke Aizen, you really made the right choice."
Dispersing the Grand Inquisitors has both advantages and disadvantages; the former only requires scheming against the person in charge, while the latter represents more possibilities.
The act of killing the chicken to scare the monkey is followed by taking advantage of the chaos. He wants to make the Judge panic and fight their own battles, so that he has plenty of ways to play games with them.
The plan was half successful. Several high-ranking judges were indeed panicked and wasted time in endless contemplation, but Sōsuke Aizen was not fooled and stubbornly continued to follow the original plan.
I will find common ground and halt the ritual of return. No matter what tricks you play, I will firmly walk this path.
Coincidentally, this road leads to my Achilles' heel.
Yuki lowered his sword and spear. All those fancy tricks he played were to distract the Judge and make them think that the Thorny Rose were unimportant, so that he could secretly carry out his plan.
Thorny Rose cannot give up; it's not just a matter of the decisive battleground, but the only way for him to achieve his goal.
Aside from that place, Yuki had no chance to catch up with her senior's footsteps; the Outpost could never be found again once it was out of the game.
"Only here can we achieve a perfect ending."
Yuki closed his eyes and followed his senior's footsteps. Only the core team knew that Aizen could only dig up to the point where the Outpost would fall off on its own. He wasn't sure I would definitely go back, which was why he didn't seal off the space.
This was a gamble, and in a sense, Aizen had already won. Yuki only had the Chaos Furnace Flame, making it impossible for him to have the opportunity to stop the ritual. The third stage was just around the corner, and there was no time to open up a third battlefield and continue the tug-of-war.
Should we join forces with another faction to scare them again, or keep it as a trump card?
Yuki pondered for a long time, stroking his eyeballs, wondering why Aizen had the opportunity to save Boros but chose to stand idly by. With less than an hour left, rescuing a severely injured Grand Inquisitor would be of great significance, wouldn't it? Could it be that he hadn't anticipated the Truth's Eye would evolve?
Tired of the cat-and-mouse game and want to take control?
He lowered his hand and checked the few cards he had left.
Okay, I'll grant your wish.
Chapter Twenty-Two: A Fierce Battle
Decisive battle?
Above the starry sky, everyone stared intently at the returning Yuki. In just one trip, He had already eliminated four Grand Inquisitors and left the rest to fight on their own.
When He returned, everyone knew the final moment was approaching, and they raced against time to repair their bodies.
No one dares to say they have an absolute advantage, but compared to being crushed at the beginning, this is like a myth. The huge gap in strength is being narrowed, and it seems that a direct confrontation is possible.
Upon closer reflection, although many people died, there was no sense of tension from a near-death experience.
"Relax, my purpose is to control the pace. If it's just about making desperate comebacks, there's no need for me to step in." Yuki sensed the emotions of the crowd, and his smile remained gentle and confident.
A comeback from near-death is something only shonen manga can pull off; a 'villain' like him shouldn't expect to follow the protagonist's template.
Confidence is contagious, and the confidence of those who create the Miracle can make people abandon all distractions.
"Yes, use strategy to make up for the difference in strength." King Hassan's voice echoed as his heavy armor was cleaved open, revealing a body as black as ink beneath. "Only when our strengths are similar will the three of us have a chance to fight. Follow behind you and deliver the final blow."
No one asked Yuki why he didn't continue to drag the battle along. The reason was simple: every player here shared the same stance as the Judge. They wanted to get back alive, not become someone else's stepping stone.
Now Aizen and the others have clearly abandoned all distractions. No matter Taiyi fancy tricks Taiichi pulls, they are determined to keep going. As a result, only one in ten players who stay in the Thorny Rose will survive.
Yuki didn't want to be a flag bearer, but he had no choice but to be one. Every move he made came with a price, and he couldn't simply be a schemer.
Without me, morale will collapse immediately.
Yuki scanned the surroundings and saw that everyone was indeed injured. Even Hayasaka had died once; she had been brutally beaten to a pulp by Solomon. If the latter hadn't wanted to capture her alive, she wouldn't have even had the chance to reunite with the Nether Butterfly.
This is the price to pay. The Judge are not fools, but a powerful war machine. The gap in strength can only be narrowed; it's impossible to clear the game without taking damage.
He took the data handed to him by Hiyori; it was a summary of the current stage.
To date, more than 2,000 players have been killed or wounded, and only 1,500 are still capable of fighting. They are scattered across the battlefield like sesame seeds, and among them, there are fewer than 20 epic-level players. This is only because Yuki deliberately used the grunts as stepping stones.
The loss rate was slightly higher than expected. Firstly, there were some mishaps at the Forgotten Hidden Jianghu, and secondly, Sōsuke Aizen did not stop to think and only resolutely swept forward.
As for the Judge and their allies, they also suffered heavy losses. To date, only six Grand Inquisitors remain: Sōsuke Aizen, Uchiha Madara, Solomon, Aatrox, Sephiroth, and the Herrscher of Finality, along with seven hundred Judge. Considering the difference in strength, and the continuous influx of players from the Forgotten Hidden Jianghu, the difference in strength between the two sides is not significant.
It's quite an achievement to have managed to turn a 10/10 score back to 6/10.
Yuki passed the data down, and everyone who saw it was pleasantly surprised. An 82% chance was a dead end, and only a 64% chance was enough to face the enemy head-on.
I actually want to keep playing along, ideally without showing my face, just to torment these people until they're finished.
Yuki took a breath, but looked at the light screen and saw that Sephiroth and the Herrscher of Finality were holding the link point. They couldn't care less about Yuki opening up the third battlefield; they just needed to hold the key point. However, the situation in the Thorny Rose did not allow Yuki to leave again.
Aizen and the other two Grand Inquisitors used fan-shaped arrays to search the area, remaining completely undisturbed despite their proximity. The 'World-Destroying Demon Sword' had gone berserk, relentlessly pursuing the players and enlarging its wounds like a mad dog.
I can do whatever I want; I've got this Outpost figured out, haven't I?
Yuki what these people were thinking. It was like facing a master swindler; the best way was to ignore them, not look at them, and not believe them. If you did that, even the most cunning swindler couldn't do anything to you.
"But I'm not just a sneaky old man." Yuki stared at the screen, seemingly oblivious to the players who were either severely wounded and unable to escape, or wiped out by overwhelming attacks, as countless pieces of information flashed through his mind.
Dragging this out is not good for me; the clone remaining in the 'Judgment Domain' won't be able to deceive me for long.
He wasn't afraid of Sephiroth and the others turning back; he had transcended the war and entered a higher dimension.
The reason why players can employ strategies like Tian Ji's horse racing and feinting attacks is entirely due to these Return Faction players. Whether they are acting proactively or passively, they conceal themselves like the ocean, allowing them to lurk beneath the surface like sharks, using their high mobility to bite back and forth.
But don't forget, the Return Faction players are only a part of the countless players; the majority are bystanders, people who just get by day by day, and cowards who want to take advantage of others.
Occupying the Judgment Domain also means blocking the entrance at the source, preventing these people from entering the battlefield.
But the blockage won't last long.
He saw two epic judges leading their squads, flying anxiously towards the heavens, and it was this subtle detail that prompted him to make his decision.
The Grand Inquisitor is important, but not that important. It's these countless henchmen who are the real deciding factor. I can create the Miracle simply because I use them more efficiently.
"Order."
The players resting in various parts of the starry sky suddenly turned serious and looked over.
"Miss Elysia, you lead Mebius and Kalpas to reinforce 'Forgotten Hidden Jianghu'. No matter what happens, you must not let these two Grand Inquisitors enter the arena." Yuki's first move was to exchange cards; 'Hunter King' Geralt could not stop them from returning to reinforce.
"Huh, you're giving me such an easy task?"
"It might be easy, but it's important. Don't you have a score to settle with the Herrscher of Finality? Let's settle it all at once."
Taiyi is quite gentle, isn't he?
Elysia winked. She was obedient and compliant, but if you asked her which Grand Inquisitor she wanted to kill, it would undoubtedly be the Herrscher of Finality "Civilization Reboot," especially since her Epic Metamorphosis was a perfect fit.
"Alright, those two kids are trying to stall for time, aren't they? I'll definitely fulfill their wish. Be careful, if they perish, we're all doomed too."
Elysia's words represented the sentiments of everyone. Like the Judge, they all wanted to survive this war, but unlike them, they had nowhere to retreat.
If Yuki dies, winning this war will be meaningless; as long as he remains in the Reincarnation Game, he is doomed. Therefore, execution must be exceptionally strong.
"Be careful, if you die, I'll haunt you even as a vengeful ghost." Mebius, wearing a noticeably oversized white lab coat, glared fiercely at Yuki.
"When a player dies, their soul becomes material; there is no chance of them becoming a ghost."
"I know! I just want you to stay alive!"
A burst of laughter erupted around them, which lightened the atmosphere considerably. Kalpas felt even more exhilarated, punched the opponent, and turned to leave.
Only the three epic-level players from the Savior departed; this was the result of meticulous calculation. There are plenty of cannon fodder in the Forgotten Hidden Jianghu, so there's no need to send mid- to low-level players to participate in the battle.
"Are you sure they can stop them?" Shiki Ryougi asked quietly, this setup was barely enough.
"They must stop them and keep the two Grand Inquisitors out of the main battlefield." Yuki had no choice but to believe them, and glanced at the remaining people.
Like gold being sifted from sand, these are the remaining epic-level players. The others have either perished, disappeared into Forgotten Hidden Jianghu, are seriously injured and in hiding, or are currently undergoing 'resurrection'.
Hayasaka Ai, Frieren, Kaguya Shinomiya, Ryougi Mena Ryougi, Shiina Hiyori —these are his guards.
Shiki Ryougi, King Hassan, Arcueid, Ikaros, Demon Child, Taiyi Daozhang, Kal'tsit, Kamina, Hohenheim, Tōshirō Hitsugaya.
The eleven epic-level players came from different factions. Although there were many of them, there weren't enough truly strong ones; only a handful were at or above epic rank III.
As an epic-level player, time reversal and potential burst are basic operations for rapid recovery. However, after a long battle, it is impossible to return to full strength.
It's still open.
There were no more than seven epic-level Judge, and Aatrox was also severely injured, but Sōsuke Aizen, Uchiha Madara, and Solomon were completely unharmed.
The enemy isn't stupid either. They don't have the direct statistical capabilities of Hiyori, but they can still obtain intelligence through soul searches, memory reading, and the like. After fighting for so long, both sides have long since revealed their cards.
"Let Frieren bring them here." Yuki to Frieren, which surprised and delighted everyone.
They even had a reserve force hidden!
Yuki did indeed have a hidden card, but it wasn't a big one. It mainly targeted some players from the Aether Particles, Espers, and Hero Kingdom. These people had received the news beforehand but dared not place a bet, fearing that Taiyi would lead them astray.
But now that the Judge couldn't get it down, he started to have other ideas.
"Okay, Fumerra will use her network." Frieren quickly got to work.
It's a drop in the ocean, but even a little extra effort is welcome.
Yuki was about to go all in. He glanced at the remaining time and took a breath.
"Miss Ryougi Shiki, you will lead the two from Valhalla and the Classic of Classic of Mountains and Seas to deal with Solomon."
"Understood." Shiki Ryougi nodded immediately. They had a personal grudge against Solomon and were filled with fighting spirit.
"Ikaros, Hohenheim, Kal'tsit, the three of you will face the World-Destroying Demon Sword."
"Yes."
The group was somewhat nervous. Aatrox was the weakest High Inquisitor, but also the most dangerous.
"Players below Epic rank should be organized by faction and regrouped into squads. Before launching an attack, gather them together." Yuki continued to give instructions. Epic rank players are generals, and the players below them are soldiers. They are currently scattered everywhere, but it is not difficult to gather them together once a signal is given.
With the same 100 players, those on the same team will naturally have better teamwork.
"The rest of you, come with me. We're going to meet those two Grand Inquisitors. Only by defeating them can we deal with that fortress." Yuki licked his lips, and everyone looked up at the crack in the sky.
It was a complex network of spatial rifts and defensive structures, equipped with countless detection arrays. The Judge weren't stupid; they'd been frantically reinforcing it from the very beginning. It was just a fortress, after all.
This would require at least three Epic Rank IV players to break through quickly, and the Grand Inquisitor cannot stand idly by.
"Can we launch a sneak attack?"
"Impossible. The spatial barriers are like a maze, and there are detection arrays everywhere. At least I can't do it." King Hassan shook his head, and as professionals, everyone stopped hoping.
"Is it possible that they left behind some secret passage, just like Bray did?"
"How about we capture an epic-level Judge and search their memories?"
This is their weakness: the landing point of the link is fixed, making it easy for others to defend.
"Alright, don't expect the enemy to be foolish." Yuki said nothing, gripping the Storm Dragon Spear.
"The third stage: one-on-one battles!"
The game of cat and mouse is finally over.
Aizen flicked his longsword, leaving a trail of blood on the riddled steel wall. Though his Hundred Eyes of True Knowledge were blocked, the battle situation was clearer than ever before.
"You bet right." Uchiha Madara breathed a sigh of relief, having known the outcome the moment he received Sephiroth's message.
The True Self hero led his fresh troops to that Outpost, clearly intending to exchange weapons and keep the two Grand Inquisitors out of the fray. This division of forces can only mean one thing:
Taiyi will not abandon this Outpost, nor will it allow them to halt the return ceremony.
We no longer need to worry about Taiyi opening a third battlefield, nor are we subject to conspiracies and schemes. He is finally going to appear and face us directly.
"It's ironic. I paid such a high price just for a chance to fight Taiyi fairly. I could never have imagined that before." After letting out a sigh of relief, Uchiha Madara was furious. What was his status? How many life-and-death situations had he faced? Yet, he found it so difficult to get a fair fight.
"It only proves that our previous opponents were too weak. Don't forget that Taiichi is an existence that surpasses Taiyi the players and the established rules." Aizen was quite satisfied; it was indescribable that he had been forced to act like a fool.
"Could there be some other trickery involved?"
"No, just look at the cards on both sides. He already has the strength to fight us. There's no need for him to put his bets on my inability to stop the ceremony."
Aizen was very confident. Both sides had almost everything to play, and even if there was still some room for maneuver, it wouldn't be much. With a little calculation, he could arrive at the result.