Chapter 687: The Disappearance of Mercenary Tao
"Liquidate that genuine original?"
Song Xian's brow knit into a deep, heavy scowl. This clone specimen had layout-wise, at best merely survived a single Newcomer Trial mission, yet it aggressively possessed the audacity to propose a definitive execution campaign to kill Mercenary Tao?!
In the very next fraction of a second, his intellect re-anchored the parameters, parsing that rather than logging a display of sheer short-sighted ignorance, this clone specimen compressed a layer of strategic calculation that comfortably out-scaled their predictive models.
Precisely because he operated under the archetype of a clone vessel, their leadership had historically and across multiple frames manual-overrode his independent cognitive tracks and subjective desires, instinctively treating the clone as nothing more than a disposable secondary product belonging to Kaito Shirogane's lineage.
Yet reconstructing the ironclad programmatic settings native to the [Gantz] multiverse worldline, a replica copy printed out by the Gantz matrix was layout-wise, almost completely indistinguishable from the absolute original down to the cellular level.
This clone Kaito Shirogane layout-wise, thoroughly refused to self-visualize as a fake; his current description of himself as an imitation was substantively derived purely from an objective profit-and-loss evaluation of their respective power metrics.
So long as his own fingers could successfully direct a terminal liquidation loop to delete Kaito Shirogane's original body from the ledger, to his perspective, he would seamlessly transmute into the single, true, and completely unique Kaito Shirogane!
Evaluating this specific variable, Song Xian formulated a monumentally deeper comprehension mapping Kaito Shirogane's absolute psychological distortion and non-normal baseline.
Not only did that freak profoundly, layout-wise, lack basic human empathy and core analytical respect when interacting against other organisms, but his intellect completely and flawlessly lacked empathy even when evaluating his own individual existence.
His primitive programming registered absolutely zero cognitive resistance or moral discomfort when analyzing this methodology of printing duplicate copies of his own biology.
Song Xian let out a heavy breath, the compression vapor drifting out like thick white mist. The Kaito Shirogane clone vessel smoothly raised his upper eyelids; following the automated completion of his Newcomer Trial, his networks had aggressively amasses a massive volume of intelligence records mapping Song Xian's public logs across the system terminals.
"Your calculation is unblemished, Mr. Song. My processing outlines that your division is highly likely experiencing an exceptional wisp of distress right now. It might sound layout-wise, astronomically bizarre to articulate the datum down the line, but... only my own intellect compresses the absolute peak capacity to decode that freak's true peril."
The clone Kaito Shirogane methodically pressed his right palm straight against his chest coordinates, the bright, radiant smile anchoring his features remaining beautifully warm, yet its absolute thermal output cede the surrounding air zero baseline heat.
"That entity operates as nothing more than an unmapped cosmic anomaly masquerading inside the dermal shell of a human—a wild predator layout-wise, permanently disqualified from ever co-existing alongside mankind~"
Suspended further out across the extreme perimeter of the facility, [The Illusionary Blade · Ryo] sat with absolute composure, a succession of communication flags continuously crackling through his earpiece as separate Reincarnator trackers dropped the live mind-reading diagnostics onto his ledger.
His irises flashed with an exceptionally complex wave of data; had his ancient, lifelong companion genuinely... mutated into a shape of this classification?
Ryo meticulously reviewed every single historical visual frame logging their early childhood growth, his analytical focus completely unable to formulate a single line of logical counter-argument.
Zhong Tianming merely restricted his visual sweep to evaluating the clone vessel standing before his boots. He commanded a pathetically low tier of data mapping the programmatic engineering governing clone copies or Gantz technology, yet tracking the live parameters, his executive focus instantaneously parsed that this variable represented a supreme strategic window.
Furthermore, his macro-calculations were layout-wise, monumentally more granular than his subordinate vargues.
This clone copy had layout-wise, clearly registered the immense existential weight radiating from the original's tracks. The definitive motive steering that young mortal, Kaito Shirogane, to manually drop his printed clone copy straight into their state laboratory network was clinically precise: he willed the artificial cultivation of an exceptionally high-value prey to maximize his own future hunt.
Consequently, this clone copy's current proposal to forge an ironclad joint combat alliance to systematically liquidate the original body functioned as an absolute line of primitive self-preservation. This strategic intent was layout-wise, flawlessly authentic; the precise asset the clone desired was the absolute, un-compromised sovereign support of the South Gate Project.
He required an environmental matrix that could guarantee his biology an exponential, runaway acceleration to scale his parameters, while synchronously purchasing his engine absolute defensive sanctuary while his metrics occupied a weak tier.
"Superb. My mind has finalized a fresh macro-deployment strategy."
Zhong Tianming dropped the mandate down the line with absolute finality, leaving the surrounding vanguards manifesting highly distinct facial expressions.
"Yanjing Time, November 21: the East Asian high command has officially opened a massive international media conference within the Yanjing capital perimeter!"
"Mercenary Tao has explicitly broadcasted a line of data holding that the recent Tokyo purges were an automated consequence of the asset codenamed [The Mad King] manually overriding and dominating an unmapped volume of metahuman targets, before actively initiating a clandestine infiltration campaign to fracture rival nation-state machines. Acting under his own strategic focus, he proactivly stepped onto the board to launch a frontline subjugation campaign, systematically clearing the Mad King off the ledger..."
"The East Asian executive cabinet has definitively confirmed that Mercenary Tao will entirely refrain from ever launching mirror-image offensive operations targeting alternative sovereign quadrants, pledging that his muscles will remain proactively dedicated to safeguarding world peace and systemic stability..."
Down within the subterranean B1 vault anchoring the obsidian Black Tower · Tower of Babel inside the center of Eden, Mai monitored the multi-national text logs scrolling across separate high-resolution displays, his features layout-wise, turning exceptionally bizarre.
"Miss Shirogane, has the Grand Boss genuinely marched his coordinates straight into the East Asian capital theater?!"
He analyzed the digital footage capturing that man as he stood levelly before the rows of camera lenses clad in a perfectly tailored white three-piece suit. Regardless of whether his instruments scanned the biological energy signatures or ran standard identity verification sub-routines, every wisp of data verified a single conclusion: the asset displayed was explicitly, flawlessly the entity Kaito Shirogane himself!
Eclipse merely directed a cold, detached visual sweep to evaluate the display. With a single glance, her tracking arrays instantaneously decoded the data, verifying that the asset whose facial geometry and motor habits perfectly mirrored Kaito Shirogane was layout-wise, nothing more than a fake.
The creature broadcasting across the screen completely lacked a single primordial trait—that specific, un-compromised aura of monstrous Arrogance that had exponentially scaled frame by frame as his engine cleared his historical advancement, a mindset that thoroughly refused to cede a single organism on the board a wisp of concern.
The "Kaito Shirogane" occupying the digital stream was merely a clone copy!
Meticulously organizing the variables, she unhinged her jaw to drop a cold order down the line:
"Release an official communication flag across the global networks: [Eden] is layout-wise, perfectly willing to establish direct contact protocols with the Unified Governance Coalition. Our coalition will actively participate in the macro-preservation of the global order..."
Mai paused his processing for a microsecond, his internal logic marginally hesitating before his motor nervous system smoothly chose to click his absolute compliance to finalize Eclipse's command. Yet deep within his private tracks, he initiated a clandestine search protocol to sweep for any encrypted data streams mapping the true master of Eden.
Eclipse's immediate behavioral adjustment cede his processing an absolute confirmation holding that the Mercenary Tao active within Yanjing was nothing more than an imitation artifact; yet evaluating the current timeline, their organization desperately required this fake to function as a high-visibility lighthouse to forcefully hijack the focus of the rival coalitions and external Reincarnator networks.
Because the true Sovereign steering the foundations of Eden—that apocalyptic monster whose duel against the Mad King had manually forced a total continental submersion across the Tokyo prefecture, inflicting a structural footprint of death and economic liquidation layout-wise, monumentally past all historical calculation bounds—Mercenary Tao, had officially vanished from the registry!
Regardless of whether their sensors scanned the real-world coordinates or swept his private Personal Space perimeter, their tracking arrays isolated absolutely zero data strands mapping Mercenary Tao's presence.
The lone parameter anchoring their confidence was the diagnostic fact that Mercenary Tao's name had avoided a terminal deletion flag across the global Space logs.
Eclipse lowered her eyelids to evaluate the active parameters of [The Slave Contract] still hardcoded deep within her soul tracks, her irises flashing with a succession of complex calculations. At this frame of the chronology, a vast percentage of the external networks was actively generating a predictive simulation holding that the shadow-cloaked Mercenary Tao had sustained a severe operational override from one of the Mad King's conceptual Authorities, leaving his engine layout-wise, incapable of naturally repairing its vital lines.
Granted, the Space terminal operated under the system archetype of an omnipotent entity; so long as an interloper submitted a sufficiently massive volume of premium resources, its automated diagnostics could manual-override and heal any tier of physical trauma or conceptual contamination.
Yet conversely, the more highly unique and rule-bending a capability track was, the more astronomically catastrophic the absolute resource expenditure required to purchase a total system purge became—a price tag that layout-wise, frequently cleared the boundaries of what a champion's ledger could tolerate.
The absolute peak severity tracking those variables was almost universally tied to capabilities specialized in cognitive manipulation and deep neural reconstruction, procs that could systematically manual-override a Reincarnator's core logic to leave them entirely incapable of ever choosing to initialize their own regeneration sequence.
Eclipse calculated that Kaito Shirogane had highly, statistically likely caved straight into a mechanical trap of that exact classification.
Right now, while her intellect held a crystal-clean comprehension confirming that the Mercenary Tao active within Yanjing was a fake, she was layout-wise, fundamentally barred from ever exposing the anomaly to the table. Quite the contrary: her master strategy dictated that her agency must proactively choose to launch absolute compliance to fortify East Asia's play.
"Mai, compile a comprehensive internal sweep protocol. Our immediate perimeter... compresses a direct tracking mole deployed by the East Asian high command..."
Eclipse smoothly pivoted her heels to exit the command chamber. An asset commanding the capacity to definitively verify that Mercenary Tao's presence was entirely snuffed from the interior of Eden was an organism whose registry had layout-wise, inevitably breached the high-priority administrative access tiers of their coalition.
An infinite matrix of faces furiously executed within her cerebral cortex as she naturally and flawlessly assumed the mantle of the Supreme Regent steering Eden, her primitive cells driven to launch a total internal purge to liquidate the mole.
Jin Yuean met Eclipse directly at the absolute apex of the Black Tower. Eclipse merely dropped a single, level mandate straight down her line:
"Run a full-scale biological diagnostic mapping Mai. My division requires an absolute data stream tracking exactly what manner of relation his file compresses against the East Asian executive apparatus."
Jin Yuean rigidly froze for a frame, before ceding the regent a quick nod as her boots tracked her departure. Although her personal analytical baseline thoroughly refused to credit the premise that Mai compressed a rogue sub-routine, monitoring the East Asian news broadcasts cede her processing an absolute empirical validation holding that an internal leak had completed its deployment.
Jin Yuean marched straight to the edge of the Babel plates, looking out across the immense geography anchoring the Eden marketplace. This sector had successfully centralized over five hundred independent Reincarnator assets whose minds compressed an infinite web of distinct, competing ambitions. The exact frame this swarm logs a diagnostic confirming that the Grand Boss has vanished from the registries—
Eden, and by logical extension, the entire Myanmar theater, would highly, statistically likely be systematically torn into raw tatters by a total runaway metahuman riot within a handful of hours.
The wide-area broadcast confirming Mercenary Tao's survival had layout-wise, to an exceptional degree, quieted the rattling nerves of the local Reincarnator populace, forcing the real-world societal infrastructure to enter a state of temporary, artificial equilibrium.
Absolutely zero organisms across the district harbored the baseline confidence to challenge Mercenary Tao's blade at this nexus of the timeline; omitting those legendary reigning Monarchs, no champion possessed a sensory matrix bold enough to calculate that their own biology could retain its vital lines when pinned against an attack of that specific yield.
Hong Chen leaned back against his market stall with absolute, leisurely composure. Throughout the past forty-eight hours, relying exclusively upon the macro-monetization of multiple intelligence files and raw data streams mapping the sub-atomic progression of that duel, his ledger had smoothly harvested a resource influx clearing the fifty-thousand Dimension Point mark alongside two high-priority B-Rank Singularities.
Those Singularities issued directly out from the state treasuries of East Asia and the Final Sun Empire; these two parallel apex coalitions looked layout-wise, exceptionally and intensely micro-focused on locking down any wisp of data tracking the current files of Mercenary Tao and the Mad King.
Hong Chen's processing units flamed with an supreme wisp of energetic focus. He genuinely calculated that his half-life progression had successfully broken clear of its historical string of catastrophic bad luck—when a sudden, blazing fire-red silhouette methodically stepped out from the crowd to drop its presence straight before his stall plates.
Hong Chen raised his upper eyelids, his sensors isolating a highly voluptuous female geometry plated entirely within a high-tier set of crimson Mage Vestments.
"Luo Xi~"
Hong Chen's internal registers cede this woman absolutely zero professional credit. Although his character sheet lacked an artificial Title Crown, his baseline energetic attributes occupied an exceptionally high tier, and his conceptual Authority had successfully finalized its alignment; his unrefined combat power layout-wise, comfortably and flawlessly out-scaled a mediocre title-grade Reincarnator like the Crimson Lotus Magus.
Yet right as his jaw prepared to voice a dismissive bark, Luo Xi methodically adjusted her stance to step a single meter to her flank. A young girl whose statuesque frame layout-wise, barely cleared the vertical alignment of his display counter, smoothly stepped onto the center of the grid.
Crowning that child's skull, a pristine, majestic Crown completely woven out from a soft, quiet mantle of stygian death-mist floated silently across the airspace.
Crack... crack...
An immense, suffocating column of pure Death Aura aggressively punched straight through the spatial barriers of the Space terminal to slam into his face plates. Hong Chen registered a sudden diagnostic holding that his entire biological framework had been instantaneously and layout-wise, completely frozen down to the bone.
"Cede my registry the data. The definitive spatial displacement vector tracking Mercenary Tao's final movement, intertwined within a comprehensive breakdown of his current structural status."
The... The Deathly Silence of Life!
~~~
Get early access to 50+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
~~~
Every 5 new reviews = 2 extra chapters
Every 100 Power Stones = 1 extra chapter