A murmur of agreement rippled through the room as the other Reincarnators nodded, confirming the sentiment expressed by their peer.
The Luminous Academy school trip... it was the ultimate stage for farming levels, skills, funds, and the trust of their companions.
The event featured items and equipment that could only be obtained during this specific window, along with unique, limited-time scenarios. It was no exaggeration to say that their performance during this trip would dictate the entire trajectory of their future gameplay.
Better yet, the enemies in this zone were notoriously weak, designed with a beginner-friendly layout that made their weaknesses obvious at a glance. For those whose leveling had stalled, this was their final opportunity for a grand turnaround.
The Reincarnators had faced several similar turning points before, but they had failed to produce satisfactory results in every single one of them. This time, failure was not an option.
"If we miss this, we're finished. We have to grind until we’re untouchable...!"
"We’ll secure everything—the weapons, the gold, the affinity! Every last bit of it...!!"
Their desperation was only natural. This was, in every sense of the word, their last chance.
Once the school trip concluded, the overarching plot of Luminous History would shift into high gear. They wouldn't have the luxury of leisurely experience point farming anymore. They had to be fully prepared before the trip ended.
If they couldn't get their acts together now... it was game over.
"But what if something goes wrong? What if another event that isn't in the script occurs...!"
"The possibility is there," one of the men replied. "But looking back at the anomalies so far, I don't think anything will happen that fundamentally breaks the school trip's structure."
"True...! Even the Warrior Shrine Maiden event followed the basic flow of the original story."
"It feels like those weird deviations only happened because our levels were too low or because Egos did something stupid. If we look at it that way, the school trip should basically follow the scenario, even if a few oddities pop up here and there."
"And what if a powerful enemy shows up in one of those 'oddities'?! There’s a very real chance we'll run into an enemy character we can’t beat yet!!"
"No, it’ll be fine... we’ll just leave those guys to Yugo."
As the anxious Reincarnator fretted, another member of the group spoke up with total confidence. While the others looked on in surprise, he calmly laid out his theory.
"He’s likely been converted into a helper character. That idiot Zenon’s blunders threw the script into chaos, so the Goddess must have provided a safety net to compensate for the increased difficulty. That would explain why his personality shifted so suddenly, too."
"C-Could that really happen...?"
"Think about it! The only reason the Warrior Shrine Maidens are even staying at the academy is because Yugo raised Ryuga's affection levels. He’s been out there clearing the dangerous bosses for us. Essentially, he’s acting as our support."
"So, he's a protagonist and helper character hybrid? We talked about this before—his position swapped with Zenon’s, so now the system counts him as a protagonist."
"Exactly. So, if any troublesome variables pop up during the trip, we’ll let Yugo handle the heavy lifting. While he’s busy, we’ll do what we need to do—securing gold and experience points. We might as well take full advantage of the Goddess's support."
It was a highly convenient logic, but the Reincarnators used this plausible assumption as the foundation for their strategy. The man leading the meeting then offered one final directive.
"One more thing regarding the trip... let's dispense with the forced cooperation. There’s no need to share information or split our gains anymore."
"I agree. We need to prioritize our own growth right now. We don't have the luxury of handing out experience or gold to anyone else. Playing nice is a waste of time."
"We cooperate when it suits us and kick the others down when it doesn't. That’s the only way to play this."
"Definitely. Especially when we have two useless weights who aren't even worth allying with!"
"Guh...!!"
"Damn it...!"
Woz and Torin, having been officially ostracized by the group, groaned at the insults. It seemed the rest of the Reincarnators were in total agreement: these two were nothing but hindrances who should be excluded from the start.
With their individual agendas set, the group focused on their own survival. Whether they helped or sabotaged each other would depend entirely on their personal whims. They were determined to seize this final opportunity.
"The school trip is the end of the line. We cannot afford a single mistake. I’m going to make this work, no matter what...!!"
The other Reincarnators nodded in silent, grim agreement.
Woz and Torin, standing on the outside of the circle, ground their teeth in fury as they swore to stage their own counterattacks.
(I’m not finished yet! I’ll claw my way back from the bottom, just watch me!!)
(A restart from zero... I can still win! I can’t afford to lose this last chance either!!)
Driven by their own desperate desires, the group prepared to face the school trip.
With a collection of men so obsessed with standing above one another gathered in one place, turmoil was inevitable. And they were not the only ones moving in the shadows as the story approached its next stage.