"Welcome to the Team Combat Instance. Terrain: Wasteland."
"Main Quest Objective: Incapacitate all enemy combatants."
"Reward: 1500 Reward Points."
"Failure Penalty: 1000 Reward Points."
"You may return to the Main God Dimension at any time via your Reincarnator Watch or Captain's Mark. Retreating will be considered a mission failure."
..............
Shin scanned the prompt. As expected, it was a team deathmatch. However, the parameters differed from what he had anticipated.
Usually, in these scenarios, squads would complete their own separate objectives while inevitably clashing with the opposing team.
That setup allowed both teams to showcase their full tactical capabilities. What surprised him more was the optional retreat. No one had ever heard of a team combat mission allowing squads to freely bail out mid-fight.
Didn't that completely contradict the Main God's core purpose of forging high-tier warriors through life-and-death crucibles?
The prompt baffled Shin. It defied all logic.
The Main God seemed entirely too merciful.
He glanced at Kenji, who noticed his confusion and chuckled. "Don't go thinking this isn't a fight to the death."
"Not everyone is as loaded as you are. The vast majority of Reincarnators can't scrape together a thousand points to pay the failure penalty. If an individual can't pay, and the squad can't cover it for them, they get erased."
"You don't need to worry, though. Our squad has a reserve of sixty-five hundred points, which is more than enough to cover us."
"But we're obviously aiming for the win. That's a solid fifteen hundred points on the line."
Shin understood Kenji's intentions perfectly. The captain was trying to ease his nerves, preventing any battle jitters that could lead to avoidable mistakes.
However, Shin felt a flicker of annoyance. This open wasteland terrain was perfect for his combat style, not to mention the enemy squad was highly likely to be weaker than them.
He nodded, adjusting his strategy. His original plan was to use Edo Tensei to summon some heavy hitters. Unfortunately, he had gone a bit too hard in the Dragon Ball world and burned through all his vessel materials.
Without a physical body to sacrifice, casting Edo Tensei was impossible.
No matter. If he managed to kill one or two enemies here, he'd have the raw materials he needed.
As for the soul fragment to summon, he would prioritize Goku over anyone else. Madara Uchiha could wait on the sidelines. Goku's combat power was off the charts, especially his Super Saiyan 2 state, which dwarfed everyone else's power level.
Given the choice, Shin would pick Goku as his summon in a heartbeat.
Even without Edo Tensei, having teammates to cover his back meant he could utilize a broader range of tactics. He wouldn't have to worry about enemies interrupting his jutsu casting times, allowing him to deploy Shadow Clones without getting rushed.
This setup prevented him from getting swarmed and beaten down while prepping his moves.
He could also freely unleash his devastating Senjutsu attacks.
Furthermore, after engaging in brief bursts of combat in his Super Saiyan state, his team could buy him precious seconds to rest. This ensured he wouldn't run dry on energy after a prolonged fight.
He wouldn't be forced into a desperate, grinding melee against his enemies.
As he strategized, his thoughts drifted to his System.
To Shin, the Main God Dimension was just an external tool—a violent playground to amass power and find a way back home. The System, despite acting as a restrictive tether at times, was his ultimate lifeline.
Without it, he would just be a Reincarnator with a strong early-game advantage.
After several worlds, the others would inevitably catch up and surpass him. Shin knew his own limits. He wasn't naturally cut out for the grueling, high-stakes life of a Reincarnator. He didn't fit the mold of this dimension.
His goal was crystal clear: go home. He wasn't here because he had lost all hope in his original world.
He didn't particularly fear the early-game missions in the Main God Dimension.
Instances like the zombie outbreaks in Resident Evil or the Xenomorph hives in Alien were an absolute joke to him. Shin could solo the entire map, effortlessly steamrolling every enemy from start to finish.
He could charge straight to the end boss without needing a single ounce of strategy.
The late-game missions, however, were genuinely terrifying. But Shin calculated that with his current trajectory, he would amass enough points to buy his ticket home long before hitting those nightmare-tier worlds.
There was no need to risk his neck unnecessarily.
Besides, his System was still online.
He could continue to use it to cheat the rules. His power would skyrocket far faster than anyone else's in the Main God Dimension. Who could possibly overtake him?
The Main God might use various metrics and exchange histories to evaluate a Reincarnator's combat power.
But Shin didn't need to rely on the standard combat power metrics to annihilate his foes.
At that moment, Shin's System finally roused from its dormant state. A block of text suddenly materialized in his field of vision.
It read: "I am glad you have finally activated the true function of this system."
"I am your predecessor—a veteran Reincarnator. Unfortunately, I failed in my rebellion against the Main God."
"Do not trust the Main God easily. Do not place your faith in it. Even if you accumulate enough points to return to your original world."
"Everything you are—including your life and your very soul—remains firmly under its control."
"Do not believe a single word it says. Even if it tells you that a world needs you to save it, do not believe it."
"Because to it, you are nothing more than raw material harvested for its own endless expansion."
"It is unfathomably powerful, but I noticed the anomalies early on. I created this system."
"I knew my death was absolute, but I wanted to pass this knowledge on to you. To ensure the torch is passed."
"Rebel against the Main God. Otherwise, all of us Reincarnators will drown in endless darkness."
"You might not believe me right now. But as you continue to fight and struggle, you will. I am certain of it."
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