Chapter 809 : Opening

East Coast of Pritt, Tivian.

In the early morning, the sky above the southern slums of Tivian, usually dull and overcast, was rare in its clarity. The drifting smog had been partially dispersed by sunlight and breeze, and a lively atmosphere pervaded the city’s streets and alleys.

As usual, the southern district bustled with life. Yet unlike the typical heavy and hectic mood, today’s liveliness bore a distinct sense of joy. There were two main reasons: one was the newly implemented labor protection regulation announced by the new Queen—today marked their very first legally mandated weekly holiday. The second was the visit of a well-known figure who brought both spiritual and material comfort to the impoverished people here.

At a crowded intersection in the southern district, in front of a small chapel, countless figures cloaked in dust-stained garments surged and gathered, surrounding a single patch of pure white radiance that stood before the chapel. Even with strong knights maintaining order, the crowd still yearned to reach out their calloused hands, eager to brush the hem of that immaculate robe.

"May the Lord ease your pain... May the Lord guide your life toward hope..."

With a gentle smile, Vania clasped the crooked fingers of the disabled woman before her. As she offered words of comfort, she also handed over a bundle from the towering supplies behind her—causing the woman to burst into grateful tears.

“Sister Vania... it really is Sister Vania... Thank the Lord… I didn’t get to see you the last time you returned to Tivian... But this time… this time I finally have...”

Vania helped the woman, who nearly knelt in gratitude, back to her feet and instructed the surrounding knights to escort her to the crowd being evacuated. She then personally greeted the next citizen.

Just as always, Vania personally met with the ordinary people living at the bottom of society, distributing charity supplies to them. Since her rise to fame, she had undertaken all manner of charitable work, relief missions, and disaster aid across the globe—especially recently in Frisland, following the devastating cold disaster, where her efficient and selfless efforts had saved countless lives. Combined with unrestricted media coverage, her popularity across the world soared even higher.

Vania was originally a nun born in Tivian. This marked her second return since rising to prominence—and the welcome she received was far warmer than ever before.

Unlike her previous visit, this time Vania wasn’t just conducting activities inside the Hymn Cathedral. She had personally ventured deep into various districts of Tivian, engaging in closer contact with the common believers—which, in turn, earned her even more enthusiastic responses.

"Ah… Sister Vania… the real Sister Vania… just as the rumors said… You’re truly like a saint… no… even more than a saint… Just like the newspapers say… You must be the incarnation of the Holy Mother herself! The Holy Mother has become you, descending to earth to soothe our suffering!"

These were the trembling words of a wizened, fervent elder who had grabbed Vania’s hand after receiving her supplies. His words were blatantly heretical, clearly violating the doctrine of the Radiance Church.

Hearing the old man’s statement, Vania paused briefly. Yet she did not refute him—she simply kept smiling and gently responded.

"I am the will of the Lord. The Lord stands with the people—and so do I."

"Ah… you mean to say…"

The elder grew excited again, as if he wanted to say more—but was quietly escorted away by the knights guarding Vania, making way for the next citizen.

Thus, the charity event personally led by Vania continued throughout the entire morning. By noon, feeling somewhat weary, she temporarily delegated some tasks to the accompanying nuns and returned to the small chapel. There, she sat down to rest.

“Hoo…”

Seated within the modest chapel sanctuary, Vania finally let herself relax a little. Leaning back on the bench, she gazed forward—where a not-so-large statue of the Holy Mother stood, its surface now covered with countless fine cracks.

"Holy Mother… Lord..."

As she murmured while staring at the statue, a familiar voice suddenly echoed in her mind. Vania stiffened in surprise, immediately sitting up straight from her reclining posture.

“Huh… now?”

Now upright, Vania seemed to be confirming something in her mind. Once she had, she promptly stood, approached her guards, and gave them a quick explanation. Though the knights looked troubled, she departed regardless. Inside a side room of the chapel, she changed into a form-fitting travel coat and casual attire, added a scarf for disguise, and slipped out through a small door.

Then, by the edge of an alley near the chapel, Vania began quietly waiting. During this time, she focused her attention on several children playing at the other end of the alley. As they played, they sang a pleasant hymn spread from church to church.

“Ah… the lost ones… the ordinary ones…

When you endure suffering… and witness despair…

Gaze toward the distant sky...

“Look—The brave Holy Son is wielding his blade, driving calamity away for us.

“Listen—The righteous Holy Father is proclaiming sacred law, upholding order for us.

“Reach—For the messenger sent by the merciful Holy Mother. She is the Mother’s very incarnation, come to heal our wounds.

“O people of God…

Never forget—The Lord’s mercy will forever shelter us.

All pain and disaster are but fleeting…

“In the Divine Kingdom… we shall know peace…

In the Divine Kingdom… we shall know peace…”

…

While listening to the children’s hymn, Vania waited patiently. Before long, a modest-looking yet finely crafted carriage rolled into the alley and stopped before her. Vania climbed aboard and sat down—only to find two familiar figures inside.

One was Nephthys, her dark skin striking, wearing a plain blouse and loose trousers, her crossed legs clad in high heels. The other was the silver-haired girl, Dorothy. Today she wore a simple white dress beneath a dark coat, black boots on her feet, and a small round hat on her coiled silver hair. She sat calmly, watching as Vania took her seat.

“Ah… good afternoon, Miss Nephthys…”

Smiling at the familiar face, Vania greeted her. After receiving a nod in return, her expression turned more serious as she looked toward the other girl.

“And good afternoon… Miss Dorothea. For us to suddenly gather like this—does it mean something major is happening?”

Vania asked earnestly, but before Dorothy could reply, Nephthys casually waved her hand and answered with ease.

“Oh, it’s nothing much… Miss Dorothy just thought you’ve been running around and working too hard lately, Sister Vania, so she took the opportunity to invite you out for a meal and some rest. And me? I’m just tagging along for the free food, don’t mind me~” said Nephthys with a grin.

Hearing that, Vania was momentarily stunned, then spoke with a hint of surprise.

“Eh… Miss Dorothea came all the way here just to treat me to a meal? That’s… quite rare...”

Vania found herself at a bit of a loss for words. She had assumed something serious had happened and that Dorothy was gathering them because of it—but it turned out to be a simple meet-up and a meal. For someone as constantly busy and caught up in major incidents as Dorothy, this really was a rare thing.

“You thought it was another emergency too? Ever since I entered the mysticism world… I’ve always been rushing around solving one crisis after another. I hardly ever get a moment to relax… So today, sneaking in a little time to meet is a nice change,” Dorothy replied lightly, seated calmly in her spot.

Vania, still curious, continued to ask.

“Eh… so that means Miss Dorothea is pretty free lately? Normally, you’re either in the middle of something or preparing for something…”

“I wouldn’t say I’m exactly free...”

As she spoke, Dorothy turned to look out the carriage window, watching the scenery rush by as she continued in a slow, thoughtful tone.

“Rather than being free… it’s more like I’m about to face something on an unprecedented scale. Even I’m feeling a bit of pressure now… Since you happen to be in Tivian, I figured I’d use the chance to unwind a little.”

“An unprecedented scale… Even Miss Dorothea is feeling pressured?”

Hearing Dorothy’s words, Vania couldn’t help but gulp. In the past few incidents she had been involved in with Dorothy, they had already dealt with remnants of divinity, and even true divine powers. Now Dorothy was saying what she was facing was something beyond precedent… Just how vast, how high-ranking must this divine power be?

“So it’s true… Among all the powers of evil in this world, the Afterbirth Cult really is the most wicked and formidable. Not only is the Church mobilizing at full force, but even Miss Dorothea is treating them with the utmost seriousness…”

With that thought, Vania’s expression turned extremely solemn. As someone in the Church’s upper ranks, she was well aware of the Church’s current large-scale mobilization and the kind of enemy Dorothy would soon face.

“Hoh… Even Miss Dorothy is treating it so seriously. Looks like the enemy this time really is powerful… I guess I won’t be able to slack off either.”

From across the carriage, Nephthys commented with a thoughtful tone, showing rare seriousness. Vania, still visibly worried, spoke again.

“The enemies Miss Dorothea faces now… they’ve already reached the level of true gods. In battles of that scale, can we… really even participate?”

“Oh, that—don’t worry. I’ve made sure there’s still a place for you in my plans. What’s the matter? Getting scared of the powerful enemies ahead?”

Dorothy turned her gaze away from the window, looking at Vania with amusement. But Vania quickly shook her head and responded.

“No, no, that’s not it… I’m just thinking—facing the challenges Miss Dorothea is about to undertake… can we, or rather, can any worldly force really help in any meaningful way? If we insist on joining in… wouldn’t we just be a burden?”

Vania voiced her concern. On the previous expedition into the fractured historical world with Dorothy, she had truly felt how limited her own strength was—merely Crimson-rank—when caught up in battles dominated by divine powers. Her worry wasn’t about danger; she was simply afraid of holding others back.

“No worries~ Since Miss Dorothy included us in her plans, she must have thought it through. We’ll have our roles to play, just like before. No need to stress over it. Just follow the arrangements and do your part…”

Nephthys said reassuringly, lightly patting Vania’s shoulder. Vania responded with a slightly awkward smile.

“Um… Miss Nephthys’s optimism is really something to admire… always so cheerful…”

“Eh? I’m optimistic? Doesn’t feel like it… I’ve been stressed all day about the paper I submitted yesterday. I think there’s a good chance I’ll have to rewrite the whole thing…”

Grabbing her head, Nephthys’s expression turned gloomy. She truly wasn’t a general optimist—just selectively so. For instance, she was feeling rather pessimistic about her thesis at the moment.

“Whether god or mortal… whether Inner Realm or this one… they are all part of this universe, all links in the infinite causal chains that shape this world. Every link, no matter how small, can affect the greater chain of fate… and even the smallest influence might just shift the entire course of destiny.

“To me, even now at this stage, you are still key links—capable of making a difference. So… will you step into the role that fate has set for you in the course I’ve charted?”

From her seat, Dorothy smiled meaningfully as she spoke. After hearing her words, Vania paused briefly—then her gaze firmed, and she nodded with resolve.

“I will… do everything I can!”

…

And so, after a bit more travel, Dorothy and the others arrived at the restaurant they had reserved. There, they shared a simple and relaxing meal together before parting ways. Dorothy returned alone to her own carriage, which drove northward, quickly exiting the city and reaching the outskirts.

That afternoon, the northern suburbs of Tivian were bathed in warm spring sunlight. In the quaint Green Shade Town, the breeze swayed the roadside trees as the rustling leaves offered a peaceful mood. The empty streets were quiet under the gentle touch of spring.

Walking down one such street after stepping out of her carriage, Dorothy enjoyed the breeze as she made her way to a familiar house. She took a moment to once again admire the seemingly ordinary old villa covered in ivy. Then she rang the doorbell—and was quickly answered.

“Yo… you’re here. Pretty punctual. Come on in~”

Wearing plain home clothes and with her messy, faded hair loose, Beverly casually opened the door to welcome her longtime neighbor. Dorothy didn’t hesitate to step inside.

“How’s it going on your end? Are we heading out right away, or is there something else we need to prep?”

Once they reached the cluttered living room, Dorothy didn’t go straight to the couch as usual. Instead, she turned to Beverly and asked. Beverly, smiling lightly, responded.

“Don’t doubt my efficiency when it comes to business. Everything’s prepped—we’re good to go~”

Having just closed the door behind her, Beverly grinned at Dorothy and raised her right hand with a snap of her fingers. At the sound, the entire house began to vibrate faintly. A series of subtle mechanical noises began to echo from within the walls and beneath the floorboards.

Then, Dorothy felt a sudden weightlessness. Below the sunlit window, a dark slab rose to cover the opening. In an instant, the entire room lost its natural light. Several gas lamps lit up in perfect timing, casting a soft glow throughout the space.

At this moment, Dorothy felt as though she were inside a massive freight elevator. The room had become a descending elevator cabin, breaking away from the surface and rapidly moving downward. As the sensation of weightlessness grew stronger, she could sense that their descent was accelerating.

“It’ll take a bit of time to reach. Sit down,” Beverly said as she casually walked over to the sofa and took a seat.

Dorothy followed, settling into her usual spot. Just then, Beverly struck up a casual conversation.

“How’s the prep going on your end? From what I’ve seen, the Church has been making all sorts of strange, large-scale moves lately. That’s all on your orders, isn’t it?”

“Mhm… I just went around checking in on everything this morning. The progress has been decent. The Church’s influence runs deep across this world—it’s quite handy,” Dorothy replied calmly from the sofa.

Beverly continued with a more serious tone.

“Hyperion’s legacy is definitely our strongest advantage in keeping things under control for now, but if we’re going to face those things again, relying on just that legacy won’t be nearly enough…”

“I’m aware. That’s why I’ve been making preparations on other fronts too. My goal is to get all my trump cards ready before the final hand is dealt.”

Dorothy’s response made Beverly exhale in relief.

“The more trump cards, the better… The coming confrontation will determine the fate of this entire cycle… maybe even the entire universe. Now’s the time to go all in…” she murmured, then frowned as if recalling something unpleasant.

“The mess we’re in today is mostly thanks to Hyperion screwing around back then… Honestly, I thought he had some brilliant plan when he ascended as a Primordial God, but no—it was just him triggering interference from beyond the world by surpassing its limits...

“Ridiculous. If that method worked, the Three Primordial Gods wouldn’t have been trapped to begin with. The moment the Egg of Chaos was born, the Triad and everything they derived became bound to it. No kind of being can truly break free from this world… Not even information itself. No one can hear the cries from this ‘cage,’ and attracting some drifting will from other worlds is already the best we can do… There’s no way to ever attract the attention of outer divine forces here…”

Beverly vented her frustration with evident seriousness. Dorothy had already explained to her what she had learned from Astarte about Hyperion’s plan, and Beverly had made no secret of her extreme disdain for it.

“If that plan worked, the Three Primordial Gods would’ve broken free from the Egg of Chaos long ago. We wouldn’t be in this mess now. Hyperion betting the fate of the universe on such a brain-dead idea—was he out of his mind?”

Hearing Beverly ranting about Hyperion again, Dorothy didn’t immediately respond. After a moment of silence and reflection, she finally spoke.

“You once said that although Hyperion was confident and bold in his actions, he still possessed clear insight and good judgment… Couldn’t he see how foolish and futile his plan was?”

“Hmph… Who knows? Maybe at some point he was secretly corrupted by the Egg of Chaos without even realizing it. That confidence of his might’ve rotted into arrogance without anyone noticing, and he ended up pulling this whole stunt… If he hadn’t pampered Astarte so much, we wouldn’t have found out his plan was this stupid to begin with...

“And that Astarte—she’s another one who completely lost her brain after falling in love. Eyes only for her man, throwing all strategic thinking out the window. If she’d just told us a little about Hyperion’s plan back then, things wouldn’t have spiraled this far out of control…”

With a dark expression, Beverly spat bitterly. Even Dorothy, with her mechanical mind, could clearly sense the lingering resentment. She also realized that after rescuing Astarte’s divine consciousness, the goddess had refused to meet with Beverly—probably to avoid exactly this kind of argument.

While Dorothy and Beverly were deep in discussion, the elevator-like descent began to noticeably slow. The feeling of weightlessness gradually faded, and finally, the movement came to a complete stop.

“We’ve arrived.”

As the sensation vanished entirely, Beverly stood up from her seat and walked over to one of the room’s tall walls. She knocked twice, and the wall began to rumble softly, slowly lowering itself to reveal what lay beyond. Dorothy followed suit, rising to her feet and approaching the opening wall.

Behind the wall wasn’t a corridor or basement—it wasn’t underground at all. Instead, it revealed a vast extradimensional space. The room Dorothy and Beverly were in was now suspended in midair, hovering within this immense domain.

A hazy, dusky sky stretched above, devoid of light or stars. Beneath it lay a seemingly endless expanse of terrain—mountains, plains, and canyons composed of dark, solid stone. From Dorothy’s high vantage point in the sky, she saw that the chaotic landscape below was arranged in intricate formations—forming massive, mysterious runes inscribed across the entire land.

Vast. Majestic. Desolate. Infinite. Though the surface seemed like nothing more than common rock, from this aerial view it radiated a suffocating sense of pressure—so immense it felt broader than the cosmos itself.

With her perception, Dorothy could sense she was tens of thousands of meters above the ground—about orbital height. And yet when she gazed at the horizon where land met sky, she saw no curvature at all. On any normal planet, she would already be able to observe the planet’s roundness or even its entirety. But here, the land remained utterly flat.

If this “land” was a planet, then it had to be absurdly enormous—larger than even a gas giant. But there was another possibility: this wasn’t a planet at all, but an infinite expanse of stone that simply had no edge.

“This is… the Stone Prince?”

Staring at the breathtaking scene, Dorothy murmured in awe. Beverly, standing beside her, responded in a lecturing tone.

“Strictly speaking, every solid rocky body in this universe is a manifestation of the Mountain Sovereign. But those are just peripheral expressions of His power. This endless land here is a deeper embodiment of His core essence. In a sense, this is far closer to the true form of the Mountain Sovereign than any regular stone or mountain.

“This is His core domain. I’ve been its warden all this time. Seeing him should help you complete the required part of your ritual, no?”

As she spoke, Beverly turned to Dorothy. The latter closed her eyes, quietly attuning herself to the environment. After a moment, she reopened them and nodded seriously.

“Yes… this level of divine witness satisfies the ritual’s requirements. Now I need to confirm the Stone Prince’s condition.”

That was Dorothy’s purpose for visiting Beverly—to personally witness the deeper divine state of the Stone Prince and complete the final phase of her ritual. With the environment being what it was, Beverly naturally agreed to help.

“His condition now? Hah… what do you think? He’s cleaning up the mess.”

Beverly scoffed.

“Ever since Hyperion caused the Eclipse Calamity, the divine system maintaining the universe underwent massive collapse. The Egg of Chaos became more active than ever before. The Mountain Sovereign, long dormant and the most reliable emergency failsafe of that system, had to be forcibly reawakened. It fully released its suppressive corruption to stabilize the chaos and restore order to the realms.

“The Eclipse Calamity caused two major outcomes. First, it drastically boosted the activity of the Egg of Chaos. Second, it created a world wound—an unprecedentedly deep, multiversal rupture at the site of the ritual. That wound, if left untreated, would become the breach that collapses the entire cosmic framework. Corruption that even the Mountain Sovereign cannot suppress is pouring out from there, and that in turn further stimulates the Egg of Chaos’s frenzy.

“So, Selene chose to use her power to obscure the wound—making it ‘nonexistent’ to the rest of the universe—and began cleaning up the corruption that slipped through, the parts the Mountain Sovereign missed...”

Facing Dorothy, Beverly continued speaking plainly. Her explanation directly laid bare the current state of the two main deities—both tied up handling the aftermath of the Egg of Chaos and the Eclipse Calamity. Dorothy, upon hearing this, furrowed her brow deeply.

“So what you’re saying is… the consequences brought by the Egg of Chaos and the Eclipse Calamity now require the continued intervention of two main gods, meaning they won’t be able to assist us in the coming battle against the Mother of Chalice?”

“That’s about right—but not entirely. They can still exert some influence, but not on a large scale,” Beverly replied, casually waving her fingers as she elaborated.

“For example, my divine throne… you could think of it as an extension of the Stone Prince’s power. In a way, the power of the God of Forge was cleaved and forged from the part of the Stone Prince’s will that longed for more active engagement. Because of that, I’m more closely connected to Him than other subordinates or even gods.

“And the same goes for you. As Selene’s divine child, you’re capable of channeling Her power to a certain extent. Right now, She’s guarding the World Wound from within the hidden Divine Palace. The palace She created sealed both the wound and Herself—meaning Her power can’t easily flow beyond those walls. You’re one of the few conduits through which Selene’s power can manifest externally.”

Beverly explained this calmly. Dorothy, after listening, sighed lightly and spoke.

“I can channel my mother’s power, yes, but the conditions are extremely strict. It’ll be hard to meet all of them on future battlefields…”

It was clear that the main stage of battle would no longer be in Pritt, and summoning the power of Mirror Moon would be increasingly difficult.

“Exactly. That’s why we’ll still have to handle most of the situation ourselves,” Beverly said slowly.

Then, as if recalling something, her expression turned serious again.

“Now that another part of your advancement ritual is complete… with the current situation, finishing the rest won’t be too difficult. If all goes well, you’ll become a Gold-rank Beyonder in the upcoming war—a more perfect divine vessel.

“At that point, you’ll have inherited most of Osiris’s divinity and the Throne of Fate. Once you’ve reached Gold, you’ll be able to commence the Divine Ascension Ritual. If you become the King of Fate, the whole situation will stabilize.”

Beverly’s tone was solemn. Dorothy, upon hearing this, raised her eyebrows and responded directly.

“The Divine Ascension Ritual… what exactly does it entail? Are there any particularly difficult parts?”

“For most Gold-rank candidates, the challenge lies in gathering enough divinity and mastering the corresponding divine throne. But for you, that part is basically done. Your current divinity might be a little short, but once you reach Gold, your compatibility with the existing divinity and throne will allow you to sense the last piece—and forcibly draw it in to complete the integration and trigger the ritual.

“What you need to be aware of is this: even though a Divine Ascension Ritual affects the entire universe, its central node must be in the material realm. You’ll need to prepare a proper sacred site and a suitable priest to conduct the ritual. You can handle that, right?”

Beverly looked toward Dorothy. After thinking for a moment, Dorothy nodded in affirmation.

“That won’t be a problem. I can manage that.”

“Good. If all goes smoothly and you succeed in becoming the King of Fate, this reincarnation crisis can finally be stabilized.”

Hearing Dorothy’s confident answer, Beverly let out a relieved sigh. Just as she was about to wrap up the visit and bring Dorothy back to the surface world, Dorothy seemed to recall something and suddenly spoke again.

“So… is our final goal really just to stabilize this cycle of reincarnation?”

Hearing this, Beverly paused, then turned toward Dorothy with a darkened expression.

“What else, then? What more are you trying to do? You want to imitate your dear grandfather… and try the Eclipse Ritual again?”

Her gaze turned sharp—sharper than Dorothy had ever seen. But Dorothy, unfazed, responded calmly.

“Based on your own analysis, the reason Hyperion’s ritual failed was because he was a native of this world. No matter how powerful he became, he couldn’t escape the Egg of Chaos…

“But I’m different. I’m not of this world—I’m a transmigrator, an outsider to this cycle. That difference might… just might lead to a different outcome.”

She gently placed her hand over her chest and murmured. Beverly’s expression immediately darkened further.

“So… what exactly are you trying to do?”

“What I mean is… once I become the main god of ‘Revelation,’ absorb the Great Soul and ascend as a Prime God, I’ll then attempt to leave this world—just like Hyperion did—to seek external divine intervention beyond the bounds of existence—”

“Absolutely not!”

Dorothy hadn’t even finished her thought before Beverly cut her off harshly, fiercer than ever before.

“Why not? If the reason Hyperion failed was because he belonged to this world, then wouldn’t I—being from outside it—have a chance of succeeding?”

Dorothy asked.

“There is no chance. None. When I say no, I mean it!”

Beverly snapped again, this time grabbing Dorothy’s hand and looking her dead in the eyes.

“Listen to me, Dorothy. This universe can’t handle another disruption. Hyperion’s foolishness already cost us too much. We can’t afford more. What this fragile world needs is a stable reincarnation cycle—not another gamble!”

“But if we don’t take any risks… this universe will simply rot away. Eventually, the Chaos will consume us all…”

“You’re right. I won’t deny that. But can’t we push that risk to the next cycle?! This cycle has already gambled… and lost… and paid the price. Please, just don’t try again—at least not now. Your idea has merit. But let’s carry it over to the next reincarnation. Then, together, we can assist the next transmigrator, fully prepared, and let them attempt this plan instead.

“Remember this, Dorothy—Osiris made countless sacrifices and put in tremendous effort so you could inherit the Throne of Fate. Don’t let all that go to waste…”

“…”

Beverly’s words were heavy with genuine emotion. Dorothy remained silent, not replying for a long moment.

Beverly’s stance was simple:

“I get it. Your idea might work. But Hyperion’s mess was terrifying. The universe is too fragile now. Please, just don’t test it in this cycle. Try it with a different transmigrator when things are more stable.”

Seeing the earnest and intense look in Beverly’s eyes, Dorothy froze. Whatever she was thinking, it showed in the way the glint in her eyes slowly dimmed. She sighed.

“…Fine. I’ll listen to you. Let’s stabilize this cycle first… We’ll leave everything else for the next one.”

“Phew…”

Beverly visibly relaxed. Releasing Dorothy’s hand, she gently patted her shoulder and offered one last heartfelt piece of advice.

“Good… that’s good. Just trust me on this. The Egg of Chaos has a will of its own. It can subtly manipulate the universe in ways we may never detect. Your plan? I’m sure it’s already anticipated it and might even be prepared. Let’s hold steady this time—next cycle, we strike back.”

“You’re right. Attempting something like that now really would be reckless…”

Dorothy acknowledged the reasoning, and Beverly finally turned away, feeling some relief.

“Mhm… you really are Osiris’s heir. Always thinking of the bigger picture. Now that everything here’s been settled—sit tight. Let’s go back.”

As she spoke, Beverly began closing the wall of the room, then activated the elevator-like mechanism to rise, slowly accelerating their return to the surface world.

As the sense of weight pressed down again, Dorothy returned to her seat on the sofa. Her eyes fell upon a round mirror in the room, in which she saw her own reflection.

Dorothy stared into her mirrored eyes.

In their depths—where the glimmer had once faded—it now flickered anew.

What that light meant… was known to her alone.

…

South of the Conquest Sea, Ufiga Continent.

In the southern reaches of the Ufiga continent, thick jungles stretched endlessly into the horizon, shrouded year-round in a dense, persistent miasma. This miasma was so thick that even powerful Beyonders found it difficult to traverse. Deep at the center of this vast sea of green canopy lay countless strange and wondrous sights.

Amid the miasma, nestled within the embrace of the dense forest, a massive protruding "high rock" jutted upward—clearing an expansive swath of land within the jungle.

But upon closer inspection, it became evident that this “high rock” was not stone, but wood—an enormous, exaggeratedly large tree stump, a colossal remnant of a once-towering tree that had lost its trunk and crown.

This giant tree stump rose tens of meters high, spanning several hundred meters in diameter. Its flat, level surface had become a vast plaza, and upon that plaza stood a majestic building.

It was a temple—a grand structure made entirely of wood, elegant and noble, adorned with intricate carvings and filled with the essence of nature. It stood alone in the midst of the choking miasma, adding a touch of verdant beauty to the otherwise oppressive forest.

At this moment, before the temple, on an open space, numerous figures stood tall. Clad in robes, they surrounded the area in a ring formation. At their center stood a finely crafted fountain adorned with sculptures of elegant, long-eared figures—but instead of water, the fountain spewed an ominous stream of blood.

“…The moment… has finally come…”

Standing beside the fountain, a woman wearing a simple Radiance Church nun’s habit stared at the gushing blood, a sinister smile curling at her lips.

“Everything is ready… The ritual to free the Great Mother has already begun beneath the surface layer of the world…

“The realm has been sealed. The only key is in our hands… The gate shall not open until the prison collapses…”

As symbols of a snake, a wolf, and a bird emerged in shifting patterns within the blood, the woman—Unina—whispered softly. Behind her stood three figures clad in dark blood-colored hooded robes, their sizes and forms varying.

“No one will stop the Mother’s return… When the crimson tide drowns the summit of Holy Mount, a new era shall find its ruler…”

As Unina spoke, voices from all around echoed the chant. But just then, a sudden anomaly disrupted the scene.

Above the temple, the sun—which had previously been little more than a hazy silhouette behind the miasma—suddenly flared in brightness. The thick fog was scattered by the increasing light, and the surrounding temperature began to soar.

Whoosh!

With a blast of powerful energy, the miasma cloaking the skies above the temple scattered outward, revealing a once-clear blue sky—though it didn’t remain clear for long. In the next moment, it was consumed by an overwhelming flood of solar brilliance.

BOOM!

With a thunderous hum, a blinding, searing beam of light descended from the sky, striking the massive tree-stump temple dead-on. The blazing shockwave that followed spread outward from the impact site in every direction. Wherever it reached, the extreme heat instantly ignited the forest canopy.

In a heartbeat, raging flames engulfed the vast jungle. Under the merciless bombardment from orbit, the lush green land was transformed into a cruel purgatory, devouring every living thing in its path…

…

Along the shores of the Conquest Sea, in a picturesque seaside town, on the balcony of a scenic oceanside hotel room, Dorothy and Beverly—dressed in their usual attire—sat together at a small round table, sipping chilled fruit juice as they gazed southward over the ocean.

“It’s begun…”

Dorothy murmured.

“Mhm. The first wave of the offensive is underway. Focused-beam strikes to start. The Holy War Army is invading the Afterbirth Cult’s territory from multiple directions, carrying out the harshest Purification Decree—exterminating every living being they see…”

Using her many sources of intelligence, Dorothy recounted the situation on the distant battlefield. Then she turned to Beverly and added.

“No matter how this war ends… most of the mortals participating won’t meet a good end.”

“But their power still serves a purpose,” Beverly replied.

“The ritual to unseal the Mother of Chalice is primarily being held in the inner realm. To ensure security, those three beasts severed all connections between the ritual’s domain and the other inner realms. Right now, any attempt to invade the ritual realm from the inner realm side would take too long…”

Her voice grew steadily more serious.

“The material realm is the center of all realms. No domain can completely sever its link to it. To breach the ritual domain, we must start from here—find a rift in the material world that leads to the ritual realm, and force it open. If we want to fight, we’ll always need the cooperation of mortals…”

Beverly’s explanation hung heavy in the air. Hearing her words, Dorothy turned her gaze once more toward the distant horizon—toward the beginning of another grand crusade by the Radiance Church, four hundred years after the last.