The Monster is Coming

Chapter 455 The Library of War, Time Travel?
The Primordial Altar.

Qi Sheng withdrew his gaze from the Star Battlefield.

Organizing this year's Star Peak Tournament and distributing rewards almost depleted his reserves of sacrificial energy, a significant financial drain.

But this investment brings long-term returns.

His original intention in organizing the competition was certainly not to create excitement for the players.

The core objective is to encourage all player teams to reveal their strengths and weaknesses, learn from each other, and grow together in the most intense competition.

Before this tournament, many guilds had their secret tactics hidden away, never before shown on the forums.

However, all of these were exposed to other players during this round of competition.

Both top-tier guilds and numerous small and medium-sized guilds are absorbing this knowledge.

It is foreseeable that a major wave of tactical innovations will follow the match.

Old tactics will be analyzed and optimized, and new tactical systems will be born on this basis.

The overall strategic wisdom of the player faction will thus reach a whole new level.

And this is exactly the result Qi Sheng wanted to see: to make controllable internal competition a catalyst for the player camp, driving all players to constantly break through their limits.

Secondly, the Stars Arena tournament has also impacted the legion building of player factions.

Many players who were used to small-team adventures experienced a slight shift in mindset after witnessing the devastating power displayed by top-tier warbands.

Future wars will be fought by large, organized battle groups.

Individual bravery or the skill of a small squad is utterly insignificant in the face of the true will of a large army.

As a result of the tournament, many players who were unable to participate have developed the urge to form or join large battle groups.

I look forward to being a part of the next round of the competition, or even becoming a legend in history with my team.

On the forum, discussions about mergers and reorganizations to build large-scale battle groups are gradually gaining momentum.

This trend will also play a positive role in the development of player factions.

The effects of the competition were immediate.

During this period, Qi Sheng also collected two topics that players were discussing on the forum.

The two topics are:

When will a "God of War Tournament" be held, which is a personal competitive event similar to the Ancient God Arena?

But Qi Sheng had no such idea whatsoever.

Individual competitive matches can hone a player's individual combat skills.

However, the Ancient Gods Arena has provided a perfect platform for all players who pursue their personal peak to compete, and the effect is even more powerful than internal competition.

To challenge the Ancient God Arena, you must face a variety of powerful alien forces.

It is enough to satisfy any player who pursues individual competition and desires self-proving.

From a macro perspective of team development, the benefits of individual competitions are negligible.

The emergence of one or two top-tier experts cannot change the overall battle situation.

What he needs is a commander who can unite the strength of millions of people into one force, legionary soldiers who understand coordinated combat, and a logistical system capable of supporting large-scale wars.

No matter how dazzling an individual's brilliance may be, it is nothing more than a fleeting spark in the face of the true torrent of war.

The second question is, when will the second season of the Stars Summit tournament begin?

He had considered this problem a long time ago.

However, frequent tournaments will only affect the player's growth efficiency and drain their reserve of sacrificial energy.

He initially envisioned setting the competition cycle at five to ten years, or even longer.

This long period of reflection allows all the guilds to digest the gains of this year's competition and continue to build up their tactical expertise.

He also looks forward to seeing a more mature war system and more disruptive tactical ideas when the next Summit of Stars begins.

This round of the competition has ended, but the follow-up arrangements are not yet complete.

Next, he plans to inject all the data from this round of the competition into the test tower to generate a new experience feature: the War Library.

This means giving players the ability to challenge mirror images in groups, thereby honing their team battle skills.

This feature offers no rewards and has limitations in terms of freedom.

After all, mirror thinking doesn't upgrade or grow, and team strength will remain fixed.

The main purpose is to create a pure war mirror space, allowing players to experience applying their new tactics in actual combat.

Secondly, countless teams that were eliminated in the competition due to a single mistake or misjudgment were given a chance to "do it again".

They can return to the stage they were on, face the opponents who defeated them again, and find a way to break the deadlock.

These are all legacies of the event.

Having made up his mind, Qi Sheng immediately took action, slowly suspending himself in the air at the Origin Altar.

Deep within his eyes, countless starlight flashed, reflecting the trajectory of the laws.

He raised his right hand, and ripples immediately spread through the void around him.

In an instant, countless dazzling orbits appeared around him, flowing with his will.

On each orbit, stars of different colors travel.

Petrification, Ink Flame, Taunt, Critical Strike, Withering, Venom... Each star represents a rule-level power, and these are the primordial powers that constitute the underlying framework of the monster world, also known by players as: Life Soul.

With a wave of his hand, he retrieved data from the player database, outlined the framework of the battlefield at the pinnacle of stars, and captured every brilliant tactical moment.

What's more complicated is replicating the fighting styles and decision-making processes of all the participants, which requires giving the mirror image a certain level of logical ability...

Qi Sheng's fingers seemed to weave threads of destiny, drawing them among the stars that represented primordial power.

Starlight flowed from his fingertips, converging into torrents of data.

The content that has already occurred is solidified in the form of rules.

As he moved, the interior space of the Teizuka Village Test Tower began to evolve dramatically.

The battlefield at the pinnacle of stars has been perfectly reconstructed, down to every blade of grass and tree, and even the energy turbulence that permeated the air at that time.

Each event is extracted from the virtual universe and transformed into an independent challenge scenario.

Every movement and skill release of the attacking team's mirror image was perfectly synchronized with the behavioral logic of the participating teams at that time.

Countless battle scenes that have been hailed as classics by the forum, along with the images of the participants who gave their all in them, are displayed in the scenes, like exquisite war sandboxes, and are permanently collected in this "War Library".

Finally, all the starlight and data torrents stabilized and were completely integrated into the test tower.

Qi Sheng slowly descended, and the strange phenomena surrounding him disappeared.

The next second, the challenger's prompt echoed in the minds of all players:
[Challenger's Announcement (All Channels): Game Update. This update includes: War Library]

Update details:

The afterglow of the stars had not yet faded, but the echoes of battle spirit were already etched into time and space.

Based on all the data from this competition, a new function will be opened in the functional building "Test Tower": War Library.

Core Function: Star Mirror

In this competition, the tactical decisions, operational details, and combat styles of all participating teams have been transformed into mirror logic.

Players can confront the most authentic historical shadows in teams.

If you once regretted losing a match due to a single wrong decision, you can now use this function to return to the game, decide the outcome again, and make up for your regret.

Note: The War Library feature does not offer any rewards, but it allows you to re-challenge the game and rewatch it from a free-view perspective, with the option to speed up or slow down the playback.

Tip 2: All mirrored combat forces have fixed behavior patterns based on tournament data and will not grow or evolve.

Tip 3: Each challenge requires 1000 sacrificial points.

Update message: The past is set in stone, the future is still ahead. Every bit of wisdom gained from the War Library and every war problem solved will become the most solid framework and soul of the battle group.

……

The update immediately sparked heated discussions on the forum.

Going all in is a kind of wisdom: The official move was too fast. The tournament just ended and they already have the function of paying for another beating, and they won't reimburse it. Remove the rematch fee from my account (eating dirt and slamming the table.jpg).

Embracing the Light: 1000 sacrificial power isn't expensive. Later, I'll take the brothers to watch the slow-motion gameplay of the Mage Team by the legendary Thick Throat of Destiny, learning frame by frame. I didn't see it clearly during the live stream, so this time I have to thoroughly analyze it. Consider the 1000 sacrificial power as tuition. The legendary Hehe Island: Black Blade Guild, just you wait! Playing dirty in the third round of the tournament, the mirror image won't change, right? Then I'll be tormenting you repeatedly.

I don't want to get up: Let's have a rational discussion. This feature is actually designed for guilds that aspire to build large-scale battle groups. 1000 sacrificial power may not seem like much, but small teams will generally not spend this money to learn from the mirror. It filters out those who are just joining in for fun. It is suitable for teams that can repeatedly verify tactics with fixed costs. In terms of long-term development, the cost-effectiveness is actually quite high. It would be even better if it were free.

Battlefield Veteran Doctor: This function is great! The match where our guild faced the most healing pressure was the second phase of the Temple Warband, "Starburst Baptism." Perfect, we can bring all the healers in to fight it out. We won't leave until everyone survives that wave.

McDonald's Forever: Ah, although I don't participate in raids, it seems like I can sneak into the final victory photo of the Shinting raid, strike a pose, and then take a screenshot myself (lol). Later, when I brag to newbies, I can use this screenshot to prove that I was also a Shinting member back then and participated in the legendary battle... But there's a question: is the content mirrored after the event ends, or does the mirror end the moment the end-of-match notification sounds? I'd appreciate it if someone could explain.

……

Qi Sheng plans to continue updating the contents of the War Library.

In the future, battles from each tournament will be recorded in mirror mode in the test tower for players to practice repeatedly.

He will not be updating any content for a while.

The sacrificial power of the inventory needs to be accumulated over a period of time through taxation, and the next update project is tentatively set as: God's Chosen.

This means that players can help the four gods restore their strength by consuming sacrificial energy.

At the same time, the four gods will also provide players with specific permanent buffs, as well as various tiers of cards that can be obtained with a certain probability.

This includes the "Divine Descent Card (for proxy attendance)" which has an extremely low probability of being drawn.

Just as Qi Sheng was contemplating his future plans, the guidance's feedback surfaced in his mind.

Without hesitation, his gaze instantly shifted to the Phantom Wasteland region.

……

The Continent of Broken Souls, the Wasteland of Illusions.

This place was once the territory of the powerful "Dream Weavers," who carved out a paradise-like haven on this cruel land.

But no civilization can guarantee that it will always be at the forefront of the tide.

Even a powerful company like Dreamweaver could not escape the cruel cycle of competition.

They eventually collapsed on their way to climb even higher peaks.

The once radiant city has collapsed, turning into cold ruins on the earth.

Even the once-proud rule-level power "Reflection" has been acquired by the Lord of Bliss.

The current Phantom Wasteland is a testing ground where the Bliss Legion clashes with the players.

At this moment, a team of 32 players is traversing the vast ruins south of "Ale's Training Camp".

"I have to say, the Dreamweavers had really good taste back then."

The captain, whose ID was "Hard-Boiled," tapped a broken crystal pillar stuck diagonally in the ground beside him with his finger, producing a crisp echo:

"The material, the lighting effects, wow, if we can build a guild headquarters in Emperor's Tomb Village in the future, we'll come here to collect building materials."

"Come on, Brother Hard, it looks good but it's useless. It can only be exchanged for 0.23 sacrificial power with Brother Di Zhao. I would not even want it for free."

The assassin in the group, "Drifting with the Wind," nimbly leaped onto a floating piece of ruins, looking around:

"There aren't any monsters around here. Should we explore further? But if we go any further, we'll be entering the fog zone, which isn't safe."

"Safety? I didn't plan to return normally from this exploration. The Misty Zone is amazing. I often see those explorers getting rich quick, and I want to try it too." The team's support, "Little Milk Bottle," chuckled and complained, releasing her Rejuvenation ability with a wave of her hand to raise the captain's health bar, which had dropped in the previous battle.

"All you see are explorers getting rich, but you don't see the hardship they endure, going a whole year without making a single sale. Forget about getting rich quick," the mage in the group couldn't help but shake his head, then continued:

"Speaking of going back, I have a suggestion. I'm still a bit under the influence of watching the Stars Arena tournament recently. Captain, why don't you consider joining the battle group, or recruiting newbies to grow stronger? The special title of Lord of the Stars is too cool. With that title, I can walk around the Misty Coast three times a day. Just thinking about it is awesome."

The captain stiffly pushed aside the architectural ruins entwined with shimmering light, and walked deeper into the scene, nodding as he spoke, a hint of longing in his voice:

"Yes, I had the same idea. The tournament was so exciting. The collective charge and coordinated spellcasting of those large guilds are definitely something we can't compare to with our small-scale skirmishes right now. When we get back, we should discuss whether to find a reliable large guild to lead us, or... whether we should try to form our own guild and see if we can create one ourselves."

His words immediately caused a stir in the team chat.

The assassin "Drifting with the Wind" was the first to respond:
“Then we have to do it ourselves. We brothers have been working together for so long, and our teamwork is no worse than that of the elite teams of those big guilds. What we lack is resources and scale.”

"Building your own battle formation requires too much initial investment. Investing in battle formations is a bottomless pit. If you don't have a good battle formation, other players definitely won't want to follow you," the support player, Little Milk Bottle, rationally analyzed.

"However... if it works out, it will definitely be more promising. I suggest that when the next round of recruitment begins, we recruit newbies. They basically don't have any requirements. It's hard to say whether we can recruit a group of potential players, grow stronger, and win the next Stars Summit championship."

"Hehe, if we can really form a battle group, I've already thought of a name for it: Madness of the Stars..."

Just as the team members were enthusiastically discussing the future blueprint of the "battleband," the captain, who was walking at the front, suddenly stopped and made a warning gesture.

The teammates stopped talking and looked up at the front.

Ahead, beneath an exceptionally massive building wreckage, the ground collapsed, revealing an underground entrance half-hidden by shattered crystals.

Carving marks remain at the edge of the cave entrance, and a stream of air, richer than the outside air and carrying a strange, ethereal fragrance, is slowly escaping from the cave.

"Shall we go in, Brother Ying?" Sui Fengpiao asked in a low voice, tossing up the dagger and then gripping it in reverse.

He stared intently at the area around the entrance for a moment, then nodded decisively:
"Since we're here, scouts, little milk bottles, light shields, get ready, everyone else maintain formation, follow me!"

"Understood!" As the little bottle raised its hand, a glowing shield enveloped the hard, solid figure at the front of the group, acting like a moving light source and dispelling the darkness at the entrance.

The group carefully descended the sloping ramp, the light shield piercing through the darkness underground and illuminating the passage that seemed to lead to the depths of the earth.

As they went deeper, the walls of the passage were no longer mud, but damaged crystal pipes.

After descending several hundred meters, the view suddenly opened up before us.

The light shield extended forward, illuminating an incredibly vast underground space.

A magnificent, dilapidated palace stands silently in the center of this underground world.

The palace's dome has collapsed, and broken beams and pillars pierce the air like the ribs of a giant beast, but the remaining parts still reveal its former beauty.

"My God... there's actually a palace hidden down there?" the mage exclaimed in surprise.

The group cautiously approached the palace's main gate, where two massive metal gates, each ten meters high, had long since rusted and collapsed.

They crossed the threshold and entered this hall that had been silent for countless years.

The light shield flickered in the empty hall, sweeping across the shattered statues.

Finally, they arrived inside the main hall.

In the center of the hall, a tall corpse clad in tattered armor leans against a half-broken stone pillar, frozen in time in a posture of bowed head.

Its armor was magnificent, and even covered in thick dust, its extraordinary material was still evident.

The skeleton was not decayed and had a crystalline texture. The hand bones were tightly gripping a giant sword that was still radiating surging energy ripples.

“Offering this corpse to Emperor Zhao should yield a considerable amount of sacrificial power,” Yingbang suddenly said.

"Captain, you're too sinister... But keeping it is a waste anyway, let's just sacrifice it." Sui Feng Piao nodded with a grin.

At this moment, Hard Bang stepped forward and reached out to grab the greatsword from the corpse's hand.

hum!
A deep, resonant tremor suddenly erupted in the space.

Centered on the corpse, the space in front of it suddenly twisted and tore apart like fragile glass, opening a dark rift out of thin air.

A terrifying suction force erupted from it, instantly seizing the hard object that had come into contact with the giant sword.

"team leader!"

"Hard Bro!"

Just as his teammates cried out in alarm, before he could even make any resistance, he was violently pulled up by the force of space and dragged into the rift.

The next second, the crack suddenly contracted and disappeared.

The hall fell silent again, as if everything that had just happened was an illusion.

Only the armored corpse, clutching a greatsword, remained, its head still bowed.

"Hard, can you hear me? Answer me!"

"Captain, say something!"

"Bang Bang? Are you still alive, Bang Bang?"

The teammates checked the situation through the team channel and found that the captain's health bar was normal, but there was no response no matter how they called out to him.

"Where is he?" Everyone looked at each other, completely bewildered by this sudden turn of events.

"Could it be that I was transported to another world and reborn as a goblin?"

The team's support player, Little Milk Bottle, analyzed the situation with a serious expression, causing the rest of the team to burst into laughter.

(End of this chapter)