Chapter 417: Integration of Factions
Later that noon, inside the luxury restaurant of a high end hotel in Tokyo.
"So expensive..."
Looking at the shocking prices on the menu, Yamauchi Sakura's lips twitched slightly. She put down the menu and forced a slightly strained smile.
"Order whatever you want. Don't be polite..."
Before Yamauchi Sakura could finish speaking, Yuuki Asuna had already voiced her true thoughts without hesitation. She looked at Iwanaga Kotoko, who was sitting opposite her, and frowned slightly.
"Hey, isn't this too expensive?"
Kato Megumi nodded slightly in agreement.
"It really is too expensive. If all five of us want to eat until we're full, it'll cost at least over a hundred thousand yen..."
"Hmm? Over a hundred thousand yen? Expensive?"
Iwanaga Kotoko tilted her head, a look of confusion appearing on her exquisite, fair face.
"What are you talking about? Isn't this super cost effective? Being able to eat a top tier sushi feast in Tokyo for such a low price, isn't that a great deal?"
"Besides, the joy of enjoying delicious food cannot be measured by money~"
Asagiri nodded, expressing deep agreement.
"I really don't think there's a problem."
"The absurdity of your two's concept of money is the real problem, isn't it?"
Yuuki Asuna retorted crossly, then looked at Yamauchi Sakura with a gentle tone.
"Saying my treat was just a joke. I'll handle the bill after we finish eating..."
"It's fine, Asuna."
Yamauchi Sakura waved her hand and stuck out her tongue playfully.
"I just think the prices are absurd. I have money on me, remember?"
"Last time when we participated in the Tokyo Tournament, Ashikaga-sensei gave everyone a reward for participating. I have so much money that I can't spend it all normally."
"Even if we eat here for several months in a row, I'll still have plenty left, so there's no need to worry~"
"That's true."
Yuuki Asuna smiled and replied, then looked at Asagiri sitting there and spoke softly.
"By the way, has the number of Nyx Incarnations changed?"
"No."
Asagiri took out his phone, opened the Eye Icon APP to take a look, then spoke in a flat tone.
"Still four. It seems that, just as we speculated, creating Incarnations requires a price."
"Since it can't pursue infinite quantity, it has to find a way to improve individual quality."
"Tsk..."
Yuuki Asuna's brows were tightly furrowed. A heavy look appeared on her exquisite face, and her voice could not help carrying a hint of anxiety.
"Because we are in different worlds, we know that guy is plotting something right now, yet we feel powerless against it... It's just so frustrating."
"Isn't it the same the other way around?"
Asagiri picked up a porcelain cup and took a sip of the warm black tea. A look of undisguised disgust immediately appeared on his face.
Seeing this, Kato Megumi immediately handed him a can of iced Coca-Cola.
After taking a refreshing sip of iced cola, Asagiri nodded with satisfaction and smiled.
"Nyx knows that our strength will continue to grow. Even though it possesses such great power, it is helpless against us in another world."
"Don't forget, we won the last battle."
"It's the one that should be feeling anxious now."
"That may be true..."
Yuuki Asuna pursed her lips, a look of worry showing in her eyes as she muttered,
"But according to news from Ashikaga-sensei, the performance of the official faction has been very abnormal recently."
"The information exchange, equipment trading, and item trading with unofficial Player factions like the Ashikaga Budo Association, Shijo Family, and Shinomiya Family have all stopped."
"It's almost as if they want to terminate cooperation."
"This was something we could have expected long ago."
Asagiri tapped his fingers lightly on the table and spoke softly.
"At this stage, most Players have already gained power far beyond what ordinary people can imagine."
"And for top tier Players like us, let alone as a squad, except for Sakura, who is a priest type, any one of the four of us already possesses the terrifying strength to destroy a city and still escape unscathed."
"The authorities certainly want to maintain order and stability."
"The stronger the Players' power becomes, the more likely it is for disaster events beyond control to occur."
"This is unavoidable."
Yuuki Asuna sighed, then frowned and bit her silver teeth.
"Although I can understand the desire to maintain the normal operation of society, facing a crisis that could destroy the world, not only have they failed to integrate the power of all Players at this stage, but they are actually guarding against the majority of Players who don't belong to the official faction."
"It's really hard to accept."
"They don't know about Nyx."
"Eh?"
Hearing Asagiri's words, Yuuki Asuna could not help being stunned for a moment.
"You didn't tell Ashikaga-sensei this news?"
"I told her, and I discussed it with her."
Asagiri put down the Coca-Cola and said with a smile,
"Miwa Ashikaga and I share the same opinion. Telling the authorities this news is meaningless."
"Players are already doing their best just to survive this death game. Even if they knew about this problem, which is completely beyond their capabilities, it would only increase chaos."
"Besides, have you ever thought about what the authorities and other Player factions would do if they knew that I triggered the main storyline of this death game?"
While Yuuki Asuna was still pondering, Iwanaga Kotoko had already replied.
"They would definitely ask you to take their Players into the Dungeon with us."
"Or maybe they would use seemingly noble words to morally kidnap us, demanding that we help their Players clear the Dungeon."
"In other words, they'd treat us as so called power leveling tools."
"Yeah, that's about it."
Asagiri spread his hands and spoke in a matter of fact tone.
"We certainly wouldn't agree to such an outrageous request, but if we refused at that time, it might trigger conflict, perhaps even escalating into a fight to the death."
"Although we are strong, the real world is our base camp, so it's best to avoid trouble as much as possible."
"Moreover, we don't need the help of the official faction or any other Player faction right now."
"No matter how many rabble there are, they won't be of any help."
"Even if we have to enter the world where a Nyx Incarnation resides in the next stage, it will be enough to have elite Players from factions like the Ashikaga Budo Association, Shijo Family, Shinomiya Family, Dai Sakura Bank, and the Kure Clan act together."
Yuuki Asuna nodded as if she understood, then sighed.
"If only we could know the situation on the official faction's side..."
"Preparations are already underway."
Before Yuuki Asuna could finish, Asagiri chuckled.
"Have you forgotten? Chika is a young lady from a political family."
"The Fujiwara Family's connections are second to none in Sakura Province's political circles."
"Plus, there are Kotoko's parents, Miwa Ashikaga, Shijo, Shinomiya, and all these wealthy supporters."
"If all goes well, we will soon be able to make contact with the Player faction organized by the authorities and arrange for trusted people to take over matters in that regard."
Hearing Asagiri's words, Yuuki Asuna, Kato Megumi, and Yamauchi Sakura were all stunned.
Although they had become Players with extraordinary powers, their thinking was still stuck at the level of ordinary high school students.
They had not thought of this method at all.
It was mainly because Fujiwara Chika's usual natural, airheaded, and adorable appearance, which did not know how to read the room, was too deeply ingrained in their minds, causing them to forget her status.
A young lady of a prestigious political family, even within Shuchiin Private Academy, belonged to the group of students at the very top of the pyramid.
"Wait a second."
Yuuki Asuna, as if she had suddenly thought of something, looked curiously at the calm faced Asagiri.
"After that Tokyo Tournament ended, when you went to unite those Player factions, could it be that you already had this plan in mind?"
"Of course."
Asagiri nodded without hiding it, his tone flat.
"The official power might not be able to help us, but it could cause us a lot of trouble."
"If we want to focus on the game, we must solve this hidden danger."
"So after that Tokyo Tournament, Miwa Ashikaga had already started making preparations in this regard."
"So that's how it is..."
Yuuki Asuna nodded, letting out a sigh of relief.
After all, the main objective of the game was now clear.
To confront and eliminate Nyx, the self proclaimed Will of Death, who intended to destroy the world.
Since this was the final main storyline of this death game, the difficulty would certainly not be low.
If they wanted to focus on this goal and ultimately achieve victory, there could not be any hidden dangers in the real world.
"The sushi's here, woohoo~"
Seeing the sushi brought over by the waiter, a look of anticipation and excitement appeared on Iwanaga Kotoko's doll like, fair, and cute face.
She then extended her chopsticks, picked up a piece, and took the initiative to feed it to Asagiri, smiling sweetly.
"Come, my handsome boyfriend. You've worked hard lately."
"Hurry and eat this piece of eel sushi to nourish your body."
Looking at the deep meaning contained in Iwanaga Kotoko's expectant eyes, Asagiri chuckled and retorted,
"What kind of expression is that? It's like a jackal feeding a lamb, waiting to gobble it up once it's fattened."
Iwanaga Kotoko looked serious and said solemnly,
"Tonight, I will definitely give it my all!"
"Oh? Is that so?"
Among the people present, only Asagiri could compete with Iwanaga Kotoko in terms of abstract thinking.
No, not compete.
He could even surpass her.
"A defeated general, how dare you speak of courage?"
"You really are the type who keeps fighting despite repeated defeats, and keeps getting defeated despite repeated fights. Bad at it, but still loves to play."
"It seems I can only use a very cruel method to make you realize the absolute gap in strength between you and me."
.....
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