T0 Gaming Guild Saves the World.

Chapter 618, Section 617: The Foundation of Second-Player Players
"The traces of the Frankenstein's magic have disappeared." The mage in charge of sensing creations said with disbelief and hesitation.

"So fast?" someone asked in surprise. "Nafir was only disturbed by mental magic for a short while."

“From an efficiency standpoint, it’s truly incredible,” another experienced member mused. “The materials used to create the Stitches are very expensive, and the structure is exceptionally robust. Even a high-level destructive magic barrage would find it difficult to destroy it instantly.”

Clutching his stinging forehead, Nafiel's eyes gleamed with a fierce light of shame, anger, and resentment.

They lost face in front of a large number of high-level mages.

She was outwitted by a "rat" using the rarest form of mental magic—it was an utter disgrace!
"They're clearly just a few rats from the gutter... but their teeth are sharper than I thought." She forced a cold laugh through her teeth, slowly stood up, and went straight to the teleportation array in the center of the Great Archives.

The man in black at the head of the group glanced at her indifferently and spoke up to remind her.

"Nafiel, priority. Our target is the few remaining core members of the Clear Ones. Intelligence confirms they're all at the top level. Let's avoid any unnecessary complications."

"I'd rather crush them with my own hands than let the Night's followers do it." Nafiel didn't turn around. "I'll be there when I'm done."

Upon being teleported to the third floor, the corners of her mouth involuntarily turned upwards, forming a twisted, greedy arc.

The high-ranking mage who possessed unique mental magic was the real reason she was so eager to personally intervene.
Having walked this path alone and become self-taught, Nafiel was acutely aware of the rugged and arduous nature of spiritual magic.

It's difficult to get started, difficult to advance, and difficult to master.

Just imagining a fellow disciple with skills different from one's own...

Nafiel couldn't help but lick his lips: "Open up your brain and devour all the knowledge you can find!"

The third layer contained a large number of spare puppets of the Clarity, but the sudden attack caused them to fall into the hands of the Church of Eternal Night before they could be activated.

Now, they have all become Nafiel's toys.

She is a spiritual magician and also an excellent puppeteer.

Her will struck each stiff body like lightning, and each inanimate object made a "click-clack" sound, like a stiff spring being wound up.

Having completed the preliminary work for the awakening, Nafiel did not rush into action, but quietly waited for the guests to enter on the third floor.

At this very moment, the boundary between the virtual and real worlds is searching for valuable materials among the ruins of the second level.

Just like in the early stages of a game, when everything is lacking at the boundary between reality and illusion, in order to be prepared for any eventuality and to better cope with Mela's changes in the future, we need excellent equipment.

The reason why Hagiron wasn't allowed to build it before was because he wanted the temple materials.

When you know that the equipment you're currently crafting will soon be obsolete and can only serve as a temporary measure, most players will choose to grit their teeth and endure it.

After three years of operation, the main focus has been on stability.

Now that we're starting the strategy, everyone has unanimously decided—greed!

How can you win if you're not greedy!
"Oh ho, a bag of anti-magic dust."

The blanket looked like a big black rat, rummaging through the charred earth to find valuable props.

"I found a bag of these too."

French Fries excitedly raised his hand.

It contains all the essential items that should be included in the game guide.

Like squirrels hoarding supplies for winter, they gathered all the materials, scrolls, and several unknown items that shimmered with a faint magical aura in front of the jailer.

The newly acquired frog-headed stitched monster is now faithfully carrying out its new master's orders, using its powerful octopus tentacles to efficiently dig a deep pit in the corner and carefully bury these spoils.

"A classic creation of the Church of Eternal Night, a newbie killer in the 'Proof of the Stars' instance..."

The jailer stroked the stitched monster's rough skin, his tone tinged with smugness.

"Its brain is now completely shaped like me."

With a thorough understanding of the structure and the ability to continuously guide it, one can seize control of powerful undead creations.

By forcibly kicking Nafiel, the "driver," offline, Jiang Heyi shone a lantern high, and the Stitched Monster immediately fell into a daze.

This is also the most famous walkthrough guide in the early days of the game. The lantern of the Clarity can effectively suppress the Stitches and curb its aggressive desire.

Before it could even react violently, it was forced to switch sides under the combined blows of the lantern bearer and the jailer.

The prison guard now walks with his head held high and chest out, eager to try.

He couldn't wait to transform into a trainer and use his newly acquired creation to thoroughly enjoy the thrill of battle.

Unfortunately, just like in the game, Eternal Night left no defensive forces on the second floor.

Using lanterns to unlock the triggered defense mechanisms, they easily entered the third level.

A flash of light, and the slight feeling of weightlessness from the spatial shift arrived as expected.

My feet had just stepped onto the third layer of cold ground, and I hadn't even had time to observe my surroundings—

"Sizzle!"

A sharp, mournful cry, like the cracking of an electric current, suddenly came from behind!

Everyone turned around in horror, only to see that the magic power surging from the magic circle, which had just completed the teleportation and whose light had not yet completely dissipated, had vanished.

Almost simultaneously, as if affected by the chain reaction of this failed magic circle, the already dim embedded lighting crystals in the third layer of space went out all at once, as if the power had been cut off!
Jiang Heyi came to her senses.

"It was Elsa. She severed the central magic array at the top level, and all the lower-level magic arrays no longer connect with the top level."

There is a subtle time difference between the progress and the game.

This means that the Church of Eternal Night has reached at least the 11th level, directly threatening the Clear Ones' central authority.

Tetrastig swallowed hard, still shaken.

"If it had been a second later, we would have..."

He didn't finish speaking, but everyone knew the consequences.

Renee had shown them the unstable magical space through which spatial magic had passed, where they were trapped and doomed.

We almost had to restart the whole thing.

Seeing that Orange Tea was the last one to step onto the teleportation array, everyone couldn't help but reach out to touch her face, hold her hand, or hug her leg.

"You little mice are really interesting. Is this some kind of special sacrificial ritual?"

The sudden echo of the woman's voice startled everyone.

He can suppress his own magic to the point that even Orange Tea and the others cannot perceive it.

wrong.

Jiang Heyi quickly realized that they subconsciously regarded the various magic array remnants and broken puppets left at the scene as obstacles. In fact, these broken puppets could still be used.

French Fries blurted out, "Naffir."

"Huh?" Nafiel, who was observing from a distance using the puppet, was momentarily stunned. "How do you know my name?"

"If a second-time player can't even remember this, what's the point of playing?" Fries curled his lip in disdain.

"Second playthrough... What kind of weird talk is that?"

Nafiel was puzzled, and his brows furrowed even more.

Intuition told her that the little mouse in front of her held many secrets, but her curiosity made her feel a little... apprehensive?
She's a noble 8th-tier mage; how could a bunch of 6th-tier mice threaten her?

What a ridiculous idea.

“I originally wanted to wait quietly for you to go deeper, but now I don’t need to.” She smiled coldly. “Elsa seems to have been unable to withstand the pressure and took the initiative to cut off all the lower areas. No matter who you are, you have all been beautifully abandoned by her.”

She suddenly changed the subject.

"How about it? Do you want to cooperate with us? The great Eternal Night is always more benevolent than false clarity."

Is Kuanren the Eternal Night Church?

How could she not laugh when the eternal night, who advocates chaos and destruction, said these words? Is this a challenge not to laugh? Well, the boundary between reality and illusion has lost.

"Stop pretending. I know you're on the third floor, and you've come here for me."

Jiang Heyi walked confidently to the broken doll controlled by Nafiel.

Nafiel couldn't help but admire his ability to spot the real person at a glance amidst the chaotic pile of dolls.

"Your mental magic is truly fascinating."

Once discovered, Nafiel stopped acting.

In the darkness, dense footsteps approached from afar, surrounding the seven people at the boundary between reality and illusion.

A strange, excited smile played on her lips, and her head was held high.

"Hand over your knowledge now, and maybe I'll allow your companions to leave."

Jiang Heyi said with pity, "Just like the first time around, a clumsy attempt to manipulate people's hearts."

Nafiel chuckled, gathering his magic at his fingertips: "Do you really think you can fight me, with your mere 6th rank?"

"Aren't seven people enough?"

"Since you have the courage, I'll grant your wish!"

Nafiel suddenly launched an attack, her mental magic striking Jiang Heyi directly. At the same time, the surrounding puppets also joined her in the charge.

Jiang Heyi was struck squarely by Nafiel's nameless and bizarre mental technique!
An invisible hammer, carrying icy malice and a piercing scream that tore through consciousness, slammed down on his soul.

His head snapped back, his neck bones even making a slight, teeth-grinding crack, and his whole body staggered backward uncontrollably.

"Hmph, how naive."

A cruel and triumphant smile appeared on Nafiel's face as he licked his sharp fangs with his tongue.

"I will imprison your consciousness in the deepest part of this body, and watch as I slowly scrape away your knowledge, and watch as my companions are turned into dolls."

However, the smug smile on her lips quickly froze.

Because the anticipated scene of the other party clutching their head and screaming in agony, having a mental breakdown, or even having their consciousness torn apart did not occur.

Jiang Heyi, who had been staggering backward, gradually regained his footing.

He slowly straightened his head, and beneath the stray strands of hair on his forehead, his eyes suddenly opened. There was no confusion or pain in his eyes, but rather a mocking expression.

Jiang Heyi gently shook his neck, making a soft "click" sound, and stared at Nafiel with a mocking expression.

As if to say.

"That's it?"

"How can it be?!"

The sneer on Nafiel's face froze, turning into utter astonishment and disbelief, his pupils contracting sharply in shock.

She instinctively took a half step back, the instinctive fear of a wild beast suddenly realizing its sharp teeth couldn't pierce the other's fur lingering in its heart.

She had absolute confidence in her mental magic; looking across Devland, there were many other mages of the same rank who had perished at her hands.

Their unpredictable and cunning attack methods have never failed!

But this person in front of me not only withstood it, but even seemed... completely unharmed?!

A cold, uncontrollable sense of horror surged wildly up her spine.

Nafiel suddenly realized that from the very beginning, Jiang Heyi's six companions had no intention of helping him, but were instead clearing away the swarming dolls.

This is a one-on-one match.

How absurd it is to put a level 6 mage directly in front of a level 8 mage.

But everyone on the team was absolutely convinced that it was feasible and carried it out steadfastly.

Jiang Heyi sneered.

“My teacher, when he taught me mental magic, started with defense. He attacked, I defended.”

Nafiel murmured, "Teacher?"

Is there such a person as Devland?

Before she could react, Jiang Heyi attacked.

Only those who are equally skilled in magic can anticipate an invisible mental attack.

In Nafiel's view, Jiang Heyi's attack was as slow as a snail, giving her ample time to react.

With his spiritual power coalescing into a net, layer upon layer, Nafiel was about to mock the weak and feeble attack, which seemed like flowing water, when in an instant...

The seemingly weak and slow-flowing spiritual power, upon touching her defense network, emitted a roar like that of a wild beast.

The meticulously constructed, layered mental defense network was as fragile as layers of wet paper, easily torn apart by the ferocious beast's claws, without even a moment's hesitation.

Nafiel let out a bloodcurdling scream that was so shrill it was inhuman, and clutched his head with both hands.

His fingernails dug fiercely at his scalp in extreme pain, as if he wanted to tear his skull apart and scoop out what was inside.

A severe headache swept through her nerves like a tsunami, and the world before her eyes instantly became colorful yet fragmented.

Countless chaotic hallucinations and shrill noises exploded wildly in her mind.

She felt as if her brain had been thrown into a meat grinder and was being mercilessly crushed.

Nafiel lost all strength in her body, her knees buckled, and she collapsed heavily to the ground with a thud. Her upper body convulsed uncontrollably, veins bulged on her forehead, and cold sweat instantly soaked through her robes like a stream.

Her magic was in disarray, and like a drowning person, she trembled as she looked at Jiang Heyi who had approached.

"It's alright. The techniques the teacher taught me are laborious, but they're useful."

He placed his hand on Nafiel's head.

Nafiel's lips trembled, his previous arrogance gone.

She pleaded, "No..."

"Don't worry, I won't kill you," Jiang Heyi said. "You still have value, so..."

Jiang Heyi used a spell that Sayer had specially modified based on the spiritual magic of this world.

I've trained on the target many times, but this is the first time I've used it on a high-level mage.

Jiang Heyi spared no effort, pouring all his mental energy into it.

A moment later, Nafiel, lost in thought, fell backward to the ground, his eyes staring blankly at the dome.

The manipulator lost consciousness, and all the puppets stopped moving.

"How is it?" French Fries rushed over and asked.

Jiang Heyi said, "It's alright. In the Anna world, mental imprints are only effective for people with a good foundation in mental magic, and she is a perfect match."

"so?"

By this time, Nafiel had regained consciousness and was staggering as he tried to get up.

"You should kneel down first."

Nafiel shuddered and obediently knelt back down.

“Look, this is the effect,” Jiang Heyi said. “Teacher Sayer’s magic is really useful.”

(End of this chapter)