Chapter 91

Even though their physical condition had fully recovered, no one could stand up except for Yuki, who stood upright, watching the messages flash before his eyes.

[Player Yuki, Demon Hunter, extracts the bloodline skill Demonic Possession]

[Player Yuki, you have successfully passed the first level. Reward: One enhancement point]

[Player Yuki, you have become a demon slayer. Reward: One enhancement point]

[Player Yuki, you have picked up the Chaos Item 'Storm Cleaver']

[Player Yuki, completed main quest, team quest rating: S, reward: 2 enhancement points, 2 specialization points.]

It's a long, densely packed piece of information that can be overwhelming to read, but it's actually quite simple to summarize.

"What a joyous harvest!"

Individual gains and team rewards are combined, totaling two bloodline skills, one Chaos Item, 9 enhancement points, and 2 specialization points.

If "Under the Crimson Moon" was his entry into the game, transforming him from an ordinary hostage, then "Demon Hospital" was his true first step towards Transcendental Grade.

After all, during the Crimson Moon, he had to dedicate a large portion of his energy to dealing with Li Dan, and most of his gains came from him. But this time it's different.

"The shift from a 70/30 split to a 50/50 split? And after forming a team, the same dungeon became a team mission evaluation, which makes sense, as Senpai and Hayasaka played a decisive role."

"These teams are only for veteran players, because newcomers can't join, ensuring that no one is just there to dabble in the game or try to get free rewards."

"It's a pity that Shiina Hiyori and the Tyrant aren't members of the team, but even if they were enemies, I couldn't have done this much."

"Give me a chance to try being a lone wolf; the evaluation might be incredibly high."

A flood of information rushed through Yuki's mind. Regardless of the form, power was the most important thing. Even though the Demon Hospital was quite difficult, he had more cards to play, and his team was stronger and more coordinated, making it easier to handle.

At least, he didn't flee for his life as if he were on a stopwatch.

"This is a good choice. Hmm, when did I choose it?"

He hesitated for a moment, recalling his experiences of the past twenty-odd hours, and came to roughly two conclusions about the Demon Hospital:

First, the monsters in the dungeon aren't necessarily things I've seen before. Of course, the information from the transmigrators was also very useful, mostly used on Curly. It was precisely because I guessed what he wanted to do in advance that I was able to handle things so perfectly.

Secondly, as your skills improve, even though the game is still strategically designed, it becomes easier than it was at the beginning.

That's true, everything is difficult at the beginning. As you go through more and more dungeons, you'll accumulate more cards in your hand. Composure comes from strength, especially since you've unlocked a bloodline skill this time.

This thing can partially deviate from the game's framework and be implemented according to my ideas...

"Shouldn't you put her down before you summarize the dungeon?"

Yuki was getting into his thoughts, a hand patted his shoulder. He turned around and saw his senior with a smile on her face.

Oh, I forgot I was also holding Hayasaka Ai.

Yuki sensed something dangerous about that smile, so he looked down and saw Hayasaka Ai lying comfortably in his arms, her eyes half-closed, as if she were dozing.

Wait, why hasn't she said a word? Her body should have recovered by the time she arrived in this pure white space.

Hayasaka Ai's behavior is a bit strange; it's as if she's taken off the player's mask and started acting willfully?

But Yuki didn't think much of it; her senior's smile was growing brighter and brighter, and also more and more dangerous.

He was about to bend down and put the girl on the ground when he saw her raise her hand and grasp her sleeve.

"Let me sleep a little longer, just a little longer."

It wasn't exactly a plea, but her voice was soft, reminiscent of the immense risks she took in her final battle.

Using the 'Fool Mask' to transform into Yuki and fight the demon one-on-one, her close combat strength was already much weaker, and as expected, she was beaten and bruised all over, but she managed to withstand it and even used the Death Knell to finish the job.

"Senior, look, she's tired."

It wasn't just being tired; there were other things too.

Mai Sakurajima isn't stupid; she knows what Yuki represents—it's the attraction of a strong person and an absolute sense of security.

A pang of sadness welled up inside her, but she looked away and said, "Okay, let her get some rest."

"Senior, you are indeed gentle and understanding." Yuki liked this maturity; a smart woman would never embarrass a man she liked.

"Then stop saying such lewd things in front of me."

"You don't like it?"

"Well, not exactly, but it's best not to say it when there are many people around."

"Sure, then let's talk when we're alone. Ouch—why did you pinch me? Are you jealous?" Yuki said, grimacing as he looked down and saw Hayasaka Ai pinching his shoulder hard. After he finished speaking, she pinched him even harder.

"Hey, can you guys tone it down a bit? Hiyori- san is practically suffocating!"

The Tyrant finally couldn't hold back any longer. If it weren't for the fact that this space prohibited attacks, he would have loved to draw his gun and poke a few holes in that bastard.

Damn it, I fought tooth and nail to clear the dungeon, and now I have to come out and eat your dog food?!

Shiina Hiyori, standing to the side, covered her eyes with both hands, but left a gap between her fingers, blushing as she secretly peeked out, many scenes from novels constantly flashing through her mind.

Love triangle, teenage stomachache, taboos, a battleground...

Under the gaze of all eyes, Yuki stood solemnly like a statue. After a while, he reluctantly put Hayasaka Ai on the ground. This time, the latter did not make any requests.

Someone is stirring things up; continuing like this would be extremely disrespectful to other people's feelings.

"Ahem, let's get back to the main topic. Everyone has their own summaries, so I won't go into detail. There's no point in expressing gratitude; time is limited, so let's focus on the key points."

Yuki turned around, his face expressionless. His demeanor drew sighs from Hiyori, and the Tyrant clapped.

This man has incredibly thick skin. How does he manage to switch between different personas so seamlessly?

Despite any doubts, the Tyrant had already been given a way out, and he could easily back down.

"It was a pleasure working together, and I look forward to our next collaboration." The Tyrant breathed a sigh of relief and waved his hand, saying, "To be honest, I've been thinking of teaming up with you to conquer the game, but it's best not to do that. If you're unlucky, you might run into some unexpected events."

"For example, if all the veteran players are in one team, the dungeon difficulty will be off the charts?" Yuki recalled painful memories.

"Yes, the Reincarnation Game tends to be a game of strategy between players. If the veteran players are all in one team, it will make up for it in other ways. If there is no punishment, wouldn't those big organizations be invincible?"

The Tyrant shrugged; his experience was exactly what Yuki desperately needed. Then he changed the subject:

"Furthermore, this 'anomaly' is likely related to you, indicating that following you brings both great benefits and great risks."

Nobody's a fool. What Yuki, the Tyrant had already experienced. For players to engage in a game of strategy, two prerequisites must be met:

First, veteran players should not all team up; second, Chaos Item related to contracts should be used with caution.

"The difficulty of this game is dynamically adjusted. If the players are Isshin from the start, the game will make up for it in other ways. I'm sure you know that."

Yuki nodded slightly. That's why he had Hayasaka Ai, Mai Sakurajima, and Curly team up. In the game's eyes, this was a factional conflict. As for the remaining players signing the contract later, weren't there still a bunch of players on the demon's side?

Whether passive or active, different factions and opposing positions meet the requirements for PVP.

"Well, so the best way is to cooperate tacitly. Of course, this will test the mental fortitude of each player. But don't worry, if we meet again, I'll help you."

"Because of my noble character?" Yuki proudly raised his chin.

"No, because I don't want to be your enemy."

The Tyrant was still as direct as ever. He had personally witnessed Yuki not abandoning his teammates, but more importantly, he had power. If the opponent could kill Curly, he wouldn't care about adding one more person to the mix.

The white light was shrinking, reminding the players that time was running out, so the Tyrant didn't waste any time praising them.

"Ask me anything. This is the fourth instance I've run, and I have some experience that might help you."

Yuki hesitated for a moment. He had many questions, but the Tyrant showed no intention of exchanging real-world contact information, nor did he shamelessly bring them up himself.

As a seasoned player, you need to be cautious even when cooperating, and respect doesn't necessarily mean betraying yourself. A game is a game, and reality is reality; there's no need to drag each other's troubles into each other's lives.

He had just unlocked the 'forum' access, knew nothing about it, and didn't know where to ask, but the Tyrant had said that the things on there were unreliable, so he thought of another question.

"What are the contents of the random quests triggered by the player?"

"It's not just between players; it can also be triggered in special locations." Tyrant had obviously triggered it before, and after thinking for a moment, he said, "Overall, the process is very short, and there are ways to obtain Chaos Item and skills. If there are other players involved, the emphasis will be on competition."

"Like a dueling ring?"

"It's not that simple. Anyway, it's not as troublesome as a regular mission. Do you have any other questions?"

"No, thank you."

The Tyrant was somewhat surprised, thinking he was about to launch into a long, rambling monologue, and also somewhat grateful that Yuki hadn't asked about his current situation.

"I'll post on the forum, writing down everything I know. Whether we can find it or not depends on fate."

The Tyrant said no more, turned and left, but after a few steps he turned back and gave a rather elegant nod, before walking straight toward the dark border with no intention of distracting himself.

So this space can be left early? Doesn't that forum have a search function?

Yuki received two more pieces of information and felt his cuff being gently tugged.

"Aren't you going to try and win him over?" Mai Sakurajima's eyes held a hint of regret; in her eyes, the Tyrant was incredibly powerful.

"We're at different paces, there's no need for us to sabotage each other. Besides, he knows that following me is very risky, so why force him?" Yuki seemed very carefree, which was an emotional statement.

From a rational perspective, the team already has an ADC, so there's no need to force in another squishy champion.

The Tyrant's problem is simple, but this Shiina Hiyori...

He turned to look at the girl with a complicated expression.

What will she do then?

Chapter Two: Player Forum

Yuki has a principle when choosing teammates: they should ideally be people he "knows," preferably newcomers, and it would be even better if they could fill the team's gaps.

According to Tyrant's description, there shouldn't be too many players in a team, otherwise there's a chance of creating the awkward situation that Li Dan faced back then. The best approach is still like Tyrant's.

We met by chance, and our past collaborations have given us an unspoken understanding.

Shiina Hiyori is a bit of a problem. She's very useful, just like Mai Sakurajima. Most of her abilities are based on her special characteristics. Without her characteristics, I would probably die several times over.

Moreover, she has other uses, involving real-world applications.

The school Hiyori attends is part of Yuki's plans, and seeing her conflicted expression, Yuki understands.

"You can think about it more. If you have concerns, we won't be able to work together."

"Thank you." The girl grasped the hem of her skirt, leaned forward, and offered a pre-written note, "This is my contact information. You can come find me anytime."

Yuki glanced at it; the note had a student ID and class number written on it, and there were no tricks involved. It matched the information in his mind, so he was indeed a smart person.

"Yes, I'll come find you later. There's something I wanted to ask you for help with anyway."

Hiyori was slightly taken aback. As expected, her initial feeling was correct. This man knew her and had decided what would happen after the dungeon ended from the very beginning.

Another reason is goodwill. No one wants to be forced. The two sides are worlds apart in strength, but Yuki still respects her choice.

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

Without saying much, she bowed slightly to Hayasaka Ai and Mai Sakurajima, and slowly stepped back.

"Didn't Hiyori try to dissuade her?" Mai Sakurajima asked quietly after watching her walk away.

"No need to persuade her, she's smarter than anyone else and will make the right choice." Yuki withdrew his gaze and said calmly, "Her value lies in the strategic level; in a sense, she can replace some of my value."

Shiina Hiyori possesses observational and intellectual abilities far exceeding those of ordinary players, contributing significantly to clearing dungeons. However, while she can identify problems, she cannot solve them.

Hayasaka Ai is good at solving problems.

Yuki's words had a hidden meaning, causing Hayasaka Ai and Mai Sakurajima to exchange a glance.

"Are you making preparations?"

"Yeah, the Tyrant said that if too many players join a dungeon in a group, it will cause trouble. So I'll just do what those big organizations do and use different combinations."

Yuki shrugged slightly. He had already laid the groundwork for future dungeons, such as getting himself into a random dungeon, or having a dungeon quest called 'One Survivor', all of which could leave room for redundancy.

"It's just in case, so if I die, there's someone else who can take care of me..."

Before she could finish speaking, both hands covered her mouth at the same time. Hayasaka Ai and Mai Sakurajima stared at each other in astonishment, then withdrew their hands as if they had been electrocuted.

"Don't say such discouraging things."

"Is this considered setting a bad precedent?"

"Alright, alright, I'll put it another way." Yuki raised his hands in surrender and quickly said, "You two have undergone a qualitative change after this dungeon. If anything unexpected happens, it'll be relatively safe without my involvement. It would be even better if Shiina Hiyori could join us."

These words eased their expressions slightly. After two dungeons, Yuki had eaten the meat, and the two of them had also gnawed on the bones.