Black King Society and Azure Sky

Cao Qi withdrew his gaze from the massive Erdtree and studied the outstanding Reincarnator before him. Even by his standards, this woman possessed an exceptionally remarkable grasp of the bigger picture.

That special talent was the result of the space observing someone with such exceptional gifts.

"Miss Heaven’s Will, are you willing to join [Azure Sky]?"

Cao Qi suddenly spoke, making the ponytailed man [Wushang], who was leaning beneath the Erdtree a deliberate hundred meters away, shift his gaze.

But he quickly returned to normal.

Although the three of them had been through hardship together, if they were forced to speak of aptitude as Reincarnators, Wushang believed that neither he nor [Wuxin] could compare to her.

Heaven’s Will shook her head.

"Forgive my bluntness, but my path differs from yours."

"You are a seeker pursuing the glory of ideals, while I… am merely an apostle acting in accordance with the most correct timeline."

Heaven’s Will lowered her head with a self-mocking smile.

Rather than granting her a supercomputer-like mind capable of averting danger and rehearsing everything in advance, the talent [Mr. Mouse (Hundred Click)] had instead trapped her in a cage called "correctness."

Because she had rehearsed every scene hundreds of times, whenever she made a choice, she naturally chose the most advantageous and correct route.

But at the same time, she had lost the strength to struggle against mistakes and fallacies.

Heaven’s Will quietly watched the golden branches and leaves of the Erdtree swaying in the sky. Their golden radiance was much like herself.

Beautiful, powerful, and flawless on the surface, yet carrying a bleakness as though everything ended here.

"I am only this kind of woman, King of Miracles. If possible, I would rather recommend my companion to you…"

Heaven’s Will tucked back the long hair by her ear and looked at [Wuxin], who was constantly practicing his abilities and combat beneath the Erdtree on the other side.

Behind him, faint illusory ripples had begun to form in a way even he himself had not noticed. It was a nascent form that even the Reincarnator himself could not yet perceive, but she had seen countless futures.

That was why she knew that he possessed a future far greater than her own.

Cao Qi swept his gaze across Heaven’s Will’s two companions. Both were fairly outstanding, and one had already begun to touch upon his own essence. If he did not die unexpectedly, he would probably touch the power of Heart Light Pulse after four or five mission cycles.

However, talent at that level no longer held decisive significance for the future world.

He had invited Heaven’s Will only on a whim. Azure Sky had too few members, and he worried that after his death, those people would not even be able to find a decent candidate.

Cao Qi waved his hand and stopped discussing the matter.

"[Ye Katerina] of the West District has already issued you a final ultimatum. If you continue cultivating the Erdtree, she will personally lead a team here and slaughter all of you."

"After this mission cycle, I probably won’t be able to protect this area anymore, so…"

Heaven’s Will nodded. She seemed to have anticipated this long ago.

"Before then, I will join the new king’s ranks."

[You have assimilated Dragon Emperor Nidhogg (False)]

[Based on the effect of the Primordial Human Body, you have assimilated a new bloodline]

[All attributes +13. Current: Strength 72, Constitution 74, Agility 67, Mental Power 89]

[You have gained Trait: Dragon Species (World's Rare Treasure)—You will be regarded as a dragon-type creature, exerting powerful suppression over all dragons, draconic creatures, and Dragonborn. You are immune to mental abilities such as Dragon Might and gain 65% resistance against elemental abilities.]

[You have gained Trait: World Tree Calamity (World's Rare Treasure)—Nidhogg's blood will deal additional damage to World Tree lineages (up to 21%). All damage you deal to World Tree lineage species gains up to an additional 13% resistance.]

[You have gained Spirit of Words: The Untainted Land (S-)—The dragon's decree. Based on Mental Power and your own authority, strips all elemental powers within range.]

Crackle—

A bolt of golden lightning flashed across Bai Cangshu’s body. The spasms in his muscles instantly vanished, and he opened his eyes, his Golden Eyes shining brilliantly.

The fine black scales across his body gradually faded away. Bai Cangshu exhaled a breath of foul air that carried the scent of sulfur.

Although the bloodline sent by the King of Miracles had only been forcibly pieced together temporarily and possessed none of the power of the true first sovereign of the Dragon Clan, it gave Bai Cangshu the attributes he wanted most.

Without question, the false Dragon Emperor born from forcefully combining the Four Great Kings might have possessed grave weaknesses in terms of authority, but its physical body had indeed been strengthened to the utmost.

It raised all of Bai Cangshu’s attributes. For someone like him, who possessed a series of attribute-multiplying abilities such as Kaio-ken and Kirin Armor, this increase surpassed most authorities.

He was growing increasingly accustomed to his own combat style. Only strength was real and undeniable!

"Your Excellency, this is…?"

Jin Yue’an saw Bai Cangshu’s Golden Eyes, as well as the faint aura and pressure emanating from him.

Bai Cangshu waved his hand. He never explained his actions.

"Spread the word. [Paradise] is beginning a full-scale recruitment of High-tier Reincarnators, and we will hold the first [Number One Martial Arts Tournament] in the real world. The winner will receive an S-rank Singularity and one opportunity for me to act free of charge."

Jin Yue’an froze. She had never heard of this, and she believed no one else had either.

This was clearly an idea His Excellency had conceived on a whim.

But after thinking for only a moment, she immediately accepted.

"I understand, Your Excellency. I will refine the details of the tournament."

Hosting a major event, especially in the real world, involved a terrifying number of details: how to invite Reincarnators, how to ensure safety during combat, even how to prevent large numbers of Reincarnators from erupting into deadly battles during the event.

But she believed she could solve all of it.

Bai Cangshu waved his hand. Even without relying on mind-reading, he could guess what many people were thinking.

"There is no need to consider those things. We are only holding a tournament. Leave everything else to the Reincarnators themselves~"

"The Reincarnators I need are not oversized babies who cannot even take care of themselves. So-called Reincarnators… should always be ready to fight to the death!"

Bai Cangshu left after saying that, leaving Jin Yue’an where she stood. Before long, A Single Thought of Silk and Li Qingzi returned to the Private Space.

One was preparing to strengthen herself, while the other was about to begin a new deployment.

After hesitating, Jin Yue’an still told them that Bai Cangshu intended to hold the Number One Martial Arts Tournament and explained his requirements.

Li Qingzi, whose temperament had become increasingly cold and sinister after obtaining the title [Demon], merely snorted. She waved her hand dismissively.

"You think too highly of those Reincarnators."

"Reincarnators are like locusts."

She twisted the doorknob and left the room.

A Single Thought of Silk had clearly noticed Li Qingzi’s changes. This woman’s strength had improved rapidly, and she possessed a clear sense of competition toward her.

A Single Thought of Silk recalled seeing Mercenary Tao lying on the same bed as Li Qingzi when she had returned to the space that day, and instantly understood.

Her expression turned strange, but as a former mercenary who had killed an unknown number of Reincarnators, she understood exactly what Mercenary Tao and Li Qingzi meant.

Perhaps because she herself was a Reincarnator, she had felt that Reincarnators died easily and were precious.

But from the perspective of the entire space, Reincarnators were not precious at all.

They could even be considered completely expendable.

What the space truly wanted were top-tier Reincarnators capable of entering secondary and Native Worlds. Beneath that level, no matter how many low- and mid-tier Reincarnators died, the space had ways to replenish them quickly.

At worst, it could simply increase the frequency of recruitment. This world had a population approaching ten billion; all of them were potential Reincarnators…

Jin Yue’an finally understood. Perhaps Mercenary Tao was dissatisfied because Reincarnators today did not face combat of sufficient intensity.

He might have deliberately organized this tournament to increase opportunities for Reincarnators to fight and slaughter one another.

Combined with His Excellency’s earlier declaration, it was obvious that the tone of the future world would become increasingly dangerous…

"Reinhardt, do you remember which mission world you first entered?"

A woman’s voice came from within her armor, sounding heavily muffled.

The man sitting in the manor and drinking black tea looked up at [Brunhilde] across from him.

"It was the world of Attack on Titan, I think. Three times, I nearly got trampled to death by Titans, and twice, I nearly got executed by the Military Police."

Professor Ye Kai sat at another table, feeling that Azure Sky’s atmosphere was somewhat strange at the moment.

And… weren’t there a few too many people in this manor right now?

Several white round tables had been set up in the courtyard.

He sat alone in a corner, occupying a table by himself.

Meanwhile, the four veteran members—Sen Xia, Reinhardt, Loman, and Brunhilde—had formed their own circle around one table, seemingly reminiscing about the past.

At the other two tables, everyone seated there was completely shrouded in darkness.

It was as though any light entering that area would be absorbed, making it impossible for him to see who was inside.

But he already knew this distinctive entrance. Without a doubt, the seven people at those two tables—

Were all [Black Kings]!

The legendary [Black King Society] had actually gathered in full within Azure Sky’s meeting space!

And everyone seemed to be waiting for that man to return.

This was a final gathering, a farewell gathering for people who knew one another well.

A purple gemstone of astonishing purity appeared in the Professor’s hand. He crushed it instantly and used the power of the [Tarot Sequence] to spy on the Black Kings’ true identities.

The black shadows before him abruptly split apart, and a streak of black lightning flashed in an instant.

Crackle!

Space before the Professor erupted with a boom and turned scorched black.

"Hey, Luffy! Don’t be so hard on our little brother. He’s still a kid~"

Reinhardt called out loudly, though his tone seemed teasing.

The Professor rarely saw Reinhardt act so flippantly. He had always been the calmest and most dependable of all Azure Sky’s members.

Cao Qi, the King of Azure Sky, had a casual personality and acted rashly, often doing things that caught everyone off guard. In others’ words, he was someone good for nothing except strength.

Sen Xia, Azure Sky’s No. 2, was extremely indifferent toward everyone and rarely took the initiative to do anything. But whenever he acted, it was always with the most resolute slash. He was someone one could barely ever see outside of battle.

Loman, skilled in all manner of spirit arts and demon-breaking archery, had a gentle personality, but Roland’s death had left a knot in his heart. He was someone who could fall into sorrow at any time.

Brunhilde, Azure Sky’s guardian and unbreakable shield, was calm and dependable but rarely spoke. She was almost entirely invisible.

Only Reinhardt seemed capable of anything and everything.

"Heh, Roland risked his life to save you back then, didn’t he? I heard him mention it many times."

Brunhilde spoke unusually, her voice delicate and gentle, sharply contrasting with her cold, hard armor.

The Professor noticed that everyone was acting out of character. Brunhilde was talking more, Reinhardt had become flippant, and Loman, who cried whenever Roland was mentioned, was crying now too—but he was smiling.

"Yes. Roland said that while saving you, both his legs were torn off. In the end, he had to cry and beg before you agreed to carry him through the mission…"

Buzz—

Space flickered, and a figure returned to the manor.

Still dressed in a T-shirt and shorts, Cao Qi looked at the manor full of people and snapped the fingers of his right hand.

Large quantities of alcohol and food began appearing.

"Hahahaha! You’re still talking about those embarrassing stories from back then? I’ve heard those stories to death. Today, let me tell you mine!"

He stomped his foot, and the ground instantly collapsed. The round tables slid together at once and fused beneath golden radiance.

An enormous round table appeared.

Then Cao Qi pointed at the sky, and a huge shadow appeared, covering the heavens.

Once the sunlight vanished, the Professor found that the people within that shadow began to reveal themselves one by one.

A one-armed man with long black hair draped behind him and a clear cross-shaped scar across his chest—Monkey D. Luffy from the world of One Piece;

A handsome Kryptonian wearing a black skintight battle suit with a huge S insignia on his chest—Clark Kent;

A Goddess with golden hair cascading at her side and platinum-gold eyes devoid of warmth, radiating an icy majesty merely by sitting there—Rhongomyniad;

Crackle—

When the Professor looked further back, his eyes began to ache and swell.

But the next figure had already appeared before him.

Over his black skintight suit, he wore a red martial arts uniform. He had a powerful physique and only one remaining arm, while energy that was familiar yet terrifying to the Professor—ki—wrapped around his body!

This man was… Gohan! The one-armed Gohan from that tragic timeline!

Pop!

A sharp pain exploded in the Professor’s eyes, and both his eyeballs burst apart.

"Restore."

Cao Qi’s voice rang out. Then the Professor found that the black curtain had once again covered the Black King Society’s members.

The final things he had seen remained in the Professor’s mind.

One was a Black King who looked like a young girl, her entire body shrouded in despair and magic power. The other possessed exquisite features that made it impossible to determine their gender, but the armor they wore looked unmistakably like a Cloth.

One was from the world of Puella Magi Madoka Magica, and the other from the world of Saint Seiya…

[You have witnessed a special unit: Black King]

[You have come into close contact with a special unit: Black King]

[You have suffered the curse: Curse - The Witch's End]

The Professor instantly felt his techniques becoming disordered. He could not even clearly remember the faces and identities he had seen, nor how many Black Kings he had witnessed.

How many Black Kings were there again…?

The world began to distort. He felt as though he was about to vomit, but Cao Qi’s voice rang out at that moment, instantly dispelling the distortion and chaos.

"Everyone, let’s raise a toast—to my… grand death!"

"Within our lifetimes, I hope all of you… will get what you wish for, and make this world…"

"No longer twisted."