Chapter 755: The End of Rhapsody, Ye Zi's Ability
An immensely massive willow tree seemed to connect heaven and earth, its weeping branches showering sunlight and shade downwards.
And Underwood was precisely the large-scale metropolis built within this specific terrain.
"Participants with a 3-Star authority or below likely have strength hovering between 6-Digit and 7-Digit. But among those with a 4-Star authority, powerful 5-Digit enemies have already begun to appear."
"I estimate that to reach the highest level, the 7-Star Authority Game, one would probably need 4-Digit strength to contend against those twisted rules."
Reinhardt quickly synthesized the intelligence while surveying their surroundings.
This was also Professor Kento's first time operating with the entirety of Azure Sky. His nerves were taut. He had already crushed three gemstones in succession to obtain more comprehensive intelligence.
He spoke up quickly at this moment.
"Guild Master, there's a conspiracy lurking behind this massive Gift Game. Someone has hidden a highly dangerous Gift Game among the numerous others to obfuscate the truth."
"That person's true goal is likely the terrifying Demon Lord sealed underground, [Azi Dahaka]..."
The Professor was somewhat worried. Strictly speaking, this world was more dangerous than the vast majority of derivative and secondary worlds.
Beneath this peaceful surface lurked a massive amount of crises that completely exceeded what current Reincarnators could handle.
The members of Azure Sky, who actually stood at the pinnacle of the current Infinite Dimensional Space, could still face annihilation at any moment in this world.
Sousuke waved his hand dismissively. He could tell the Professor was nervous, but he himself was very relaxed.
He had bought a cup of the region's most famous [Dean Toche] from a passing vendor. It was a sweet nectar unique to this area, essentially a type of tree sap.
It was indeed sweet and refreshing when downed in one gulp, carrying the distinct fragrance unique to plants.
This was a wonderful experience that could only be found in a fantasy world like this.
"Relax a bit, Kento. You're here to see your sister, aren't you?"
"Everything in this world has nothing to do with you. Right now, you're not the Reincarnator 'Professor'. You're just that little brother crying over losing his sister~"
His tone was full of teasing as he led the group forward.
On his right wrist, his bracelet already held three Stars.
For the [King of Miracles], the majority of Gift Games actually posed no difficulty.
But that wasn't the focus right now. After walking a few steps, he noticed Reinhardt and Mori-Summer were still lingering on the various parchments.
A vast amount of information regarding Gift Games was compiled in this metropolis. There were even people who specifically calculated the difficulty and rewards of various games, and others selling intelligence on the locations of individuals possessing high-value Gifts.
These two seemed to place an extraordinary amount of importance on this Gift Game tournament.
Sousuke looked to the other side. The usually gentle Roman was also talking with a beverage shop owner. His words were full of probing questions about whether this ultra-large-scale Gift Game tournament would truly culminate in the appearance of a miraculous Gift capable of overturning heaven and earth.
This was a legend circulating within this tournament. Its origin was unreliable, but the rumor had spread throughout the outer gates of the South District.
And the [Floor Master], Sarah Ferdorake, and her Community, the [Dragon Horn Gryphon Alliance], had tacitly allowed this rumor to spread.
Even their subordinate Communities, such as [Will o' Wisp] and [Six Scars], were participating in this Gift Game.
This was why this ultra-large-scale Gift Game had swept through the entire South District's outer gates, becoming an extraordinary grand event.
The smile on Sousuke's face faded considerably. He turned and found a tavern to sit down in. At this moment, only Professor Kento remained by his side.
"People are just like this. They can never truly understand each other."
"But they will fervently radiate goodwill from their own perspective..."
Sousuke reached out a hand. Golden radiance burned like fire in his palm, and specks of golden light dispersed into the surroundings.
This scene was noticed by others in the tavern, and many immediately recorded it.
A Gift that could make one feel joyful and as if bathed in sunlight just by looking at it was definitely of high value.
Kento took all this in from the corner of his eye. The ugliness of the human heart constantly revealed the true nature of the world.
This world was far less beautiful than it appeared in the Guild Master's eyes.
"It seems you don't agree with my philosophy either."
Sousuke gulped down his drink. As he spoke, he sounded as if he were already drunk. His eyes were unfocused, staring at some unknown point.
"Kento, don't you think these worlds are actually very beautiful?"
"Unique ecologies, idealized living environments... and then, at a certain point in time, they encounter a world-ending crisis that unites everyone. Finally, a group of people steps forward, regardless of life or death..."
"That's... true romance!"
BANG!
Sousuke suddenly slammed the table, the noise shaking the entire tavern. Kento was startled, but then realized the man was simply demanding more alcohol. Kento felt somewhat at a loss.
The Guild Master was an unreliable person; this was already a consensus within Azure Sky.
Titles like the "Supreme Three Kings" or the "King of Miracles" were just lofty filters applied by those who didn't know him.
In reality, the Guild Master was a rogue who joked around, cursed freely, and was sometimes lazy and utterly shameless.
He was an alcoholic who would deliberately use the [Law of Miracles] to allow any fine wine to get him drunk.
Most of the time, he couldn't be found. He was a guy completely useless for anything other than fighting.
But it was exactly this kind of person who made Kento feel an intense sense of vitality.
If Mercenary Tao was the most textbook Reincarnator he had ever seen—possessing every necessary trait and executing them perfectly—
Then Guild Master Sousuke was the exact opposite: a Reincarnator who least resembled a Reincarnator.
He was undisciplined, unrestrained, completely unconcerned about tasks, and showed no interest in chasing power or rewards.
Conversely, he placed heavy importance on the peaceful, everyday lives of the task worlds.
He had heard that Guild Master Sousuke, long ago in a certain One Piece world, had intentionally shoved himself into a treasure chest, disguising himself as a "Treasure Chest Man," all so he could board Straw Hat Luffy's ship along with Roman and the deceased Roland.
However...
That kind of behavior was ultimately just the luxury of someone who already possessed overwhelming power.
Kento's gaze moved from Sousuke back to the table in front of him. He recalled his own experiences in task worlds.
For those lacking power, it was absolutely impossible to maintain such a relaxed mindset when facing dangerous tasks.
Every Reincarnator was struggling to survive.
Therefore, the optimal solution for a Reincarnator was inevitably to become ruthless, to do whatever it took for power. Killing people to obtain milestones, slaughtering to gain strength, destroying everything—that was the fastest way to grow.
Just like... that guy.
"Yeah, this guy, the Guild Master, is always dreaming up unrealistic, illusory fantasies."
A slightly hoarse female voice rang out. Her voice was much lower than a typical woman's, but it had a magnetic quality to its hoarseness. If this voice spoke tender words, it would probably make one feel incredibly warm.
Kento shuddered. He couldn't quite remember how long it had been since he last heard this voice.
He turned his head in shock and saw a woman with long black hair draped down her back and black-framed glasses, wearing a blue and white interwoven dress, standing by his table.
The woman reached out to touch Kento's head. Kento instinctively leaned back, dodging her hand.
The woman's hand stopped in mid-air. Her expression froze for a moment before a smile appeared on her lips.
"Not bad. You've grown too. You're becoming more and more like a Reincarnator, Kento~"
Sousuke rested one hand on the table, unsurprised by the woman's appearance. His face was already somewhat flushed; the miracle of [Any Fine Wine Can Intoxicate Me] had manifested.
"You really did show up. Not bad at all. You're living so brilliantly in this world too, and you've caused quite a stir."
The woman pulled out a chair and sat down next to Kento, opposite Sousuke.
The other people around them seemed completely oblivious to her presence. Without any hesitation, she picked up the wooden mug in front of Kento, downed the liquor inside, swished it around her mouth a few times, and then spat it out to the side.
"If I only looked at your expression, I might have actually thought this was some fine wine."
"You're still as hypocritical as ever, Guild Master."
Kento hadn't expected the person he had been searching for to appear so abruptly before his eyes.
His first reaction was that it was fake, some sort of mental illusion. But the tone, the scent, the casual action of taking his drink—it was exactly as he remembered.
"Ye Zi..."
Like most siblings close in age, they only referred to each other as "brother" or "sister" when talking to outsiders; between themselves, they used full names.
The woman named Ye Zi turned her head. Looking at the otaku brother from her memories who only watched anime all day, she saw that he had now become a Reincarnator and had begun to accept the cruel, bandit-like logic of their kind.
The warmth and nostalgia of a long-awaited reunion in her eyes slowly turned into sorrow. Finally, she raised her head slightly and looked at her brother indifferently through her half-lidded eyes.
"Have you become that kind of inferior trash too, my... brother~"
Ye Zi's gaze became contemptuous, as if looking at something utterly filthy.
Zzt~
Pitch-black lightning spread outwards from the woman. Just a graze against Kento's body made him feel his mind go blank, a sharp, stinging pain erupting across his skin.
A fierce will almost violently crashed into his brain, thoroughly crushing his thoughts.
That boundless anger and the resolute determination to slaughter everyone—it was completely unlike the will his gentle sister should possess.
A terrifying Conqueror's Haki emanated from the woman, spreading outwards in concentric rings.
Thump, thump, thump...
The people in the tavern collapsed one after another. The bartender wiping glasses also rolled his eyes back and crumpled to the floor.
Sousuke sighed. Amidst the black lightning wreathed in Conqueror's Haki, he remained sprawled on the table.
He possessed the [Miracle of Cannot Be Intimidated]. Thus, whether it was Dragon Might, Haki, or other similar abilities, none could affect him.
This was a miracle Sousuke had specifically applied to himself after fighting another King.
Simultaneously, he knew that Ye Zi wasn't putting on this display to show off her power, but to demonstrate her resolve and stance to him.
She now stood entirely in opposition to the Infinite Dimensional Space, to Reincarnators, and to her own kind.
Because she had witnessed too many tragic timelines, her sympathy had drowned out her reason, ultimately turning her into what she was today.
"If you want to show me your resolve, why not release your Concussive Pulse of the Spiritual Light?"
"Something like Haki is far from being real enough!"
Sousuke slowly stood up, the Conqueror's Haki deflected away from his skin. He took a step forward, and the table in front of him naturally shifted to the side.
The [Law of Miracles] was the [Magic] Sousuke had obtained by delving deep into the Root. It was True Magic.
He was practically omnipotent.
Sousuke walked step by step to the other side of the table. The woman's Conqueror's Haki had been suppressed back to the surface of her body.
Ye Zi's long black hair whipped backward. Her brow was tightly furrowed, and her black-framed glasses shattered under the clash of the terrifying pressure.
Sousuke reached out his hand, and with a snap, the woman's figure instantly shattered.
A large cloud of smoke appeared, and the woman's body exploded into a piece of parchment.
Sousuke had already known the woman wouldn't come in person, but seeing this still left him somewhat disappointed.
Because it meant the other party completely distrusted him. She feared that if she appeared in person, he would choose to take her down directly and end this conspiracy.
Snap!
Sousuke snapped his fingers. The people within a thousand-meter radius who had been knocked out by the Conqueror's Haki instantly woke up. The bartender looked at the fallen glass on the floor, picked it up nonchalantly, wiped it a few times, poured a drink, and served the next customer.
Kento slumped in his chair, still unable to recover from what had just happened.
"She... Ye Zi, what exactly is she..."
He had absolutely no idea what was going on. Although the Azure Sky members had previously referred to his sister as a [Traitor]...
He didn't know what had transpired between her and Azure Sky.
Looking at it now, the implications were a thousand times more severe than he had imagined.
The drunkenness faded from Sousuke, his expression somewhat desolate.
"In the war between the Space and the Planes, she chose to stand on the side of the Planes. That's all."
"To achieve this goal, she probably wouldn't hesitate to kill all Reincarnators. Well, to use her words: kill all the pests..."
Sousuke looked at the still-incomprehending Kento and added,
"Including you."
Kento shuddered. He had just lowered his head to pick up the scroll of parchment.
On it was depicted a red-haired man with three scars across his face, standing on a ship, his entire body wreathed in Conqueror's Haki.
[You have obtained the Special Item: End of Rhapsody (Torn Page)]
[End of Rhapsody (Torn Page)]
[Quality:] World's Rarity
[Description:] A special item born from someone's extremely powerful Nen ability combined with magic and prayer. It possesses the miraculous power to record anything.
[Usage Requirements:] Possess the power system: Nen; Possess the power system: Magic.
[Effect 1:] By simultaneously injecting Nen and Mana and aiming at any scene or person, the page will record the phenomenon. (Only blank pages can record.)
[Effect 2:] By injecting Nen or Mana, release the phenomenon from the page. (Only non-blank pages can release.)
"This is Ye Zi's enhancement?!"
His sister's power exceeded Kento's imagination.
"Hey, everyone look! Someone has challenged [Luos Perseus]!"
Outside the tavern, someone shouted loudly.
"Who is it?"
"I don't know. Word is it's a crazy martial artist with half-black, half-white hair!"
A crazy martial artist?!
Kento instantly realized who it was.
Mercenary Tao was indeed nearby, and that guy definitely wouldn't miss out on this Gift Game.
Sousuke also stepped outside. In the far distance, fireworks were soaring into the sky—the signal that someone had initiated a 4-Star challenge.