In the grayish-white cavern-like special mirror world, only the strands of black hair, as thick as rainforest trees, retained their original color, either shooting toward the sky or wrapping around Lumian from all directions.
After being gazed upon by Primordial Demoness Cheek, Lumian's body suddenly petrified. A large swath of grayish-white swiftly spread over the central and right heads on his shoulders, turning them into stone sculptures.
The next second, the petrification abruptly halted, stopping just before it reached the chaotic vortex face embedded with 0-01, which no longer wore the dark gold mask.
The petrifying power fused into the vortex without any effect.
"Haha! This head is indeed useful!" Lumian's laughter boomed from the vortex face, reverberating with a buzzing echo.
As the voice rang out, his body ignited with formless, colorless flames.
Amidst crackling sounds, chunks of grayish-white peeled off his surface, and the flames reconstructed his enormous body.
Lumian raised his right hand and pulled Salinger's Blood Banner, embedded in the vortex's forehead, free.
As he did, the left head on his shoulder turned, and the softened features of Alista Tudor's face came into view, gazing upward.
His expression seemed dissatisfied, almost chastising, as if silently questioning Primordial Demoness Cheek, clothed in a bone-white dress: Why do you resist? Why not surrender willingly?
Isn't our union something you've always desired?
Utilizing Blood Emperor Alista Tudor's face, Lumian wielded the dangerous banner that matched his fiery giant body and swung it at Primordial Demoness Cheek, whose blue eyes glimmered with reluctance to fight to the death, Her allure rendering Her opponents unable to strike.
Invisible, formless flames surged into the air, roaring as they raced toward their target.
Within the flames, figures of blazing humanoid fire emerged one after another. These entities possessed a degree of intelligence, obeying Lumian's commands. They surrounded Primordial Demoness Cheek from all directions, cutting off any escape routes. Acting as Lumian's soldiers, they shared his spirituality, power, and abilities like Teleportation.
This was an extension of the Conqueror's ability to transform lifeless objects into soldiers, amplified by Sealed Artifact 0-01.
Primordial Demoness Cheek watched with a radiant smile, as if admiring the performance of a lover, without immediately reacting.
She raised Her right hand, clenching it gently as the formless, colorless flames and the countless fire soldiers approached.
At Her center, a vortex suddenly appeared-remarkably similar to the chaotic vortex embedded in Lumian's left shoulder. Composed of liquid encompassing all colors, this vortex was far larger.
The formless, colorless flames, along with the innumerable fire soldiers, were sucked into the vortex, shredded into fragments, and dissolved, becoming part of the myriad unrealized possibilities.
Within the nearly sky-filling chaotic vortex, Primordial Demoness Cheek-draped in Her black hair and white bone dress-emerged once again. She remained dazzlingly beautiful, an irresistible sight that stirred even the surrounding grayish-white stones to agitate in Her presence.
This was a manifestation of one of the Demoness's authorities.
Honorific titles like "The Female Body of the Primordial God Almighty," "The mirrored Original Creator-the Oldest One," and "The True Successor of the Original Creator" were labels that Cheek Herself had added after merging with the Blood Emperor Alista Tudor, discovering and utilizing the hidden features of the Catastrophe pathway. However, the Sequence o Demoness of the Witch pathway being named "Primordial Demoness" or "Chaos Demoness," predated Her deification and was recorded on the Second Blasphemy Slate.
This referred both to the feminine aspect of a Demoness as an extension of the Primordial God Almighty and to one of the Demoness's authorities: the authority over the return of all things to chaos and the primordial state. This was a branch of the symbolism of destruction and endings, distinct from death, eternal darkness, decay, ruin, slaughter, or fragmentation as methods of finality.
It, along with authorities like "femininity," "charm," "the mirror world," and "dark magic," was a core authority of the Demoness and an elevated concept encompassing "apocalypse" and "catastrophe."
Thus, the Demoness was a demoness who wielded chaos.
The Primordial God Almighty was unaware of the setup and contingency plans left by the Original Creator to stabilize existence when accommodating the City of Calamity. The reason this was the first sefirah to be accommodated must have been due to a mystical connection, an instinctive tendency that had long existed!
Primordial Demoness Cheek emerged from the chaos with a charming smile, causing even Lumian, whose heart was burning with rage and hatred, to momentarily lose focus.
The face of Alista Tudor was filled with madness, driving the scorched banner of 0-01 to rise. On the banner, the ominous blackened bloodstains revealed their original colors, radiating an aura of conquest so overwhelming that even deities might bow Their heads.
Primordial Demoness Cheek paused for a moment, as if reminded of the past.
At this moment, the figure of 0-17, clad in a hooded black robe adorned with silver stars, appeared in the high sky where the chaotic vortex had receded. Above Her was a scene of brilliant constellations reflected from the mirror.
With a delicate face and dark, deep eyes, 0-17 wielded a phantom black scythe, swinging it toward the Primordial Demoness as though culling the wheat of life.
A dense, profound, and silent darkness surged forth, following the trajectory of the scythe and rapidly engulfing the target.
Wherever the darkness passed, the projections of brilliant stars were submerged, one after another extinguishing their own radiance.
Primordial Demoness Cheek raised Her right hand once again.
Around Her, the vortex of chaos, embracing all possibilities, became prominent and rapidly expanded, colliding with the darkness brought forth by the scythe.
In an instant, Lumian's vision lost all light, his hearing fell silent, and his spirituality ceased
its perception.
It was as if the world had reached its end in an apocalypse, welcoming the final conclusion and
return.
Before Lumian could form any thought, a sudden burst of light erupted. This was because the special mirror world had not yet fully collapsed or been destroyed.
Primordial Demoness Cheek was very pleased with this outcome. She cast an alluring glance
at 0-17, momentarily delaying Her next move.
Corrupted by the Primordial God Almighty, Her control over chaos naturally surpassed normal levels, allowing Her to better unleash the might of this authority.
Moreover, She knew that the Evernight Goddess could not maintain the descent through 0-17 for too long, whereas She, as a true Sequence o deity with freedom of movement, could wield
Her power indefinitely and sustainably.
Time was on Her side.
At this moment, the shaky special mirror world suddenly accelerated its self-repair process. Lumian blinked, and the world returned to its original stability.
The former Matriarch of the Church of Earth Mother, Roland, whose upper body was adorned with bird-clawed infants sucking nourishment from Her breasts, stepped into this place,
bringing "rebirth."
Her face bore a faint, maternal smile, and Her gentle gaze fell upon Lumian, Primordial
Demoness Cheek, and 0-17.
Behind Her, a crimson full moon slowly rose.
...
In the depths of the mirror world.
After the disappearance of Roland, the former Matriarch of the Church of Earth Mother,
another figure emerged.
It was a woman wearing a gold crown inlaid with jewels, her chestnut hair cascading down her shoulders. She had blue eyes, slightly thin lips, and a mature allure. Her figure was voluptuous, her features enchanting-it was the mirrored Emperor Roselle, now an Angel serving the ruler of the special mirror world.
As Empress Roselle arrived, a flickering figure appeared in front of Her.
It was The Magician Fors, clad in a silver star-black robe.
While jointly fighting against the Demoness of Gray Judith and the Demoness of Yellow
Tissavica with Madam Justice, Fors also participated in the mirror world battle.
This was the characteristic of a Planeswalker.
The Demoness Sect was not unfamiliar with this phenomenon. On the one hand, Madam
Magician had been one of the most active members of the Tarot Club in recent years, naturally drawing attention. On the other hand, the Demoness Sect itself possessed a relevant Grade o Sealed Artifact.
It was called "Tamara's Everchanging Card" and was currently wielded by the Demoness of
Orange.
Upon detecting Madam Magician's appearance in the mirror world, the Demoness of Crimson, who had received prior instructions, used invisible, tough, and resilient spider silk to hoist a blackened stone pillar with a faint bronze hue.
This was another Grade o Sealed Artifact of the Demoness Sect, named the "Pillar of
Severity."
As the pillar was lifted, bronzed letters emerged upon its surface: "The battlefield shall be
divided."
In an instant, the chaotic melee was split into multiple zones-soldiers against soldiers, generals against generals-in perfect balance and order.
Until their respective battles were concluded and the corresponding battlefields dissolved, neither Angels nor Saints could interfere with other fights.
Madam Magician's presence was immediately locked within the ruins of Trier, close to
Madam Justice Audrey and facing the Demoness of Gray and Demoness of Yellow.
Empress Roselle was no longer obstructed.
Since she was not yet engaged in any battle, she could freely choose Her battlefield.
The Demoness of Gold, dressed in a champagne-colored gown, faced Mr. Sun Derrick.
She wore a vertical eye-shaped tiara, its centerpiece a perfectly cut diamond resembling an eye, set within a brass base.
A Grade o Sealed Artifact-Eye of God!
Within the Eye of God, light constantly refracted, emitting a pure yet dreamlike radiance that
exposed both Mr. Sun Derrick's weaknesses and strengths.
The Demoness of Gold suddenly smiled.
She realized that the crown of dawn worn by her opponent was currently nothing more than
an ornament, incapable of functioning.
The Testimony of Glory required two Saints to effectively wield it!
After the battlefield was divided for balance, Mr. Sun Derrick had temporarily lost his
collaborator.
This fact was clear to Mr. Sun Derrick and to the other Major Arcana card holders as well. Madam Judgment-wearing Solomon's Mask-immediately sought to distort the corresponding rules.
-x-X-x-
Wearing Solomon's Mask, which caused her to grow significantly taller to over six feet, Madam Judgment Xio Derecha placed her right hand on the asymmetrical black-and-gold mask.
The black-and-gold mask began to writhe as though burrowing deeper into Madam Judgment's face.
Distortion!
Solomon's Mask could distort rules to a certain extent.
This time, Madam Judgment chose to distort the rule created by the Pillar of Severity: "The battlefield shall be divided."
As a seasoned Imperative Mage and long-time Chaos Hunter, Xio had spent years
maintaining order and constructing rules to limit enemies and enhance herself. This seemed at odds with distorting rules, but perhaps it was precisely because she understood rules so deeply that, at this moment, she knew exactly where to twist them for maximum effect.
The underlying principle of "The battlefield shall be divided" was to "end chaos, restore order, and enforce balance." Since the goal was balance, the balance itself could be distorted to become even more extreme.
The disparity in strength between the two sides-including Sealed Artifacts-was clearly not balanced. How could that be called balance?
If you want balance, I'll make it even more balanced!
In an instant, the matchups on the battlefield changed:
Madam Judgment Xio Derecha was drawn into the battlefield of Mr. Sun Derrick and the Demoness of Gold, along with her original opponent, the Demoness of Orange holding Tamara's Everchanging Card.
2 vs. 2!
With Madam Judgment's assistance, Mr. Sun Derrick could finally wield the Grade o Sealed Artifact-Proof of Glory. This adjustment balanced the power between the two factions, achieving a distorted equilibrium.
The other matchups were as follows:
Mr. Hanged Man Alger, wielding 0-02 and the Card of Blasphemy: Tyrant, faced the Demoness of Cyan Yalenna, who had The Setting Sun Rooster perched on her shoulder.
Mr. Moon Emlyn, clad in the Robe of Divine Blood, opposed the Demoness of White Katarina, who wore the Love's Dread ring.
Mr. Star Leonard, holding the Staff of the Stars, was matched against the Demoness of Crimson, the wielder of the Pillar of Severity.
Two of Cups Franca-equipped with the Post-Apocalyptic Scripture and the Face of the Arcane-fought against three Demonesses of Unaging-Silver, Brown, and Green, who were armed only with Grade 1 Sealed Artifacts.
Madam Temperance Sharron, holding the Box of the Great Old Ones, faced both the Demoness of Black Clarice, wearing the Calamity of Crimson, and the true Angel, the mirrored Roselle Gustav.
In this distorted equilibrium, it seemed that the Box of the Great Old Ones needed to contend with both an Angel and a Grade o Sealed Artifact to maintain balance. This was likely because the third layer of the box contained something incredibly dangerous and terrifying.
Realizing the unfavorable situation, Madam Temperance Sharron couldn't help but shudder internally. However, she had long been accustomed to controlling her emotions and desires, avoiding panic or anxiety.
Without hesitation, she opened the top layer of the silver-black jewelry box.
Empress Roselle watched coldly. Whether She hadn't had time to react or had Her own considerations, She used no abilities.
Demoness of Black Clarice, just as her crystalline crimson crown began to glow, suddenly felt her body stiffen. She could barely move, as though she were a wind-up toy that hadn't been fully wound.
She noticed that the previously void-like edges of the mirror world had taken on a tangible form, reflecting a silver-black sheen and becoming textured with granules.
Within the first layer of the Box of the Great Old Ones, the corresponding section of the mirror world had been shrunk down and encapsulated as part of a miniature diorama.
In this miniature scene, both Demoness of Black Clarice and Empress Roselle were reduced to palm-sized figures, their movements stiff and jerky, like lifelike wind-up toys.
The next moment, crimson light flared, and the entire "toy house" collapsed, dragging both the Demoness of Black and Empress Roselle into layer upon layer of annihilating void.
Catastrophe descended.
Suddenly, an illusory torrent of complex information surged upward from the void, spilling out of the still-open first layer of the Box of the Great Old Ones.
The torrent swiftly reassembled into the mature and beautiful form of Empress Roselle.
Madam Temperance Sharron was prepared. Her sapphire eyes reflected the image of the reformed Angel.
She abruptly reached out with her right hand toward her own eye, plucking out the eyeball that had locked onto Empress Roselle's form. It came out bloodily.
As a Sequence 3 Disciple of Silence, her use of the ability Source of Curses no longer harmed herself. However, against an Angel who might be Sequence 1, she had to go all out, using this method to enhance the curse's effectiveness.
She didn't expect this to finish off an Angel but only sought to buy herself some time. In this area teeming with Grade o Sealed Artifacts, no one knew how long the distorted equilibrium would hold or if anyone could circumvent the restrictions to come to her aid. These were variables, inevitable ones. Under the blessings of fate and the miracles of Mr. Fool, Sharron believed the ensuing variables would likely favor her. For now, her job was to stall for time, awaiting change, and to prevent herself from being swiftly defeated by the combined efforts of Empress Roselle and the Grade o Sealed Artifact-wielding Demoness of Black.
Madam Temperance Sharron quickly threw the eyeball-still frozen with Empress Roselle's image-into the spirit world.
In the spirit world, an enormous bird, indescribable in form, swooped down, snatching the eyeball in its beak and flying deep into the spirit world, heading toward the heights where the
Seven Lights were.
Such an encounter would affect the true body, resulting in a curse akin to banishment. Furthermore, the target would be subjected to constant attacks from dangerous creatures in the spirit world while being banished.
Empress Roselle glanced at Madam Temperance Sharron's now-empty, blood-dripping eye socket and gave a nod of approval for her decisiveness and resolve.
The Angel did not resist the curse, allowing Herself to be dragged into the depths of the spirit world, disappearing from this battlefield.
"..." Sharron froze for a moment, faintly realizing that Empress Roselle might not have wanted to participate in this battle.
Her pale doll-like face was now streaked with crimson blood dripping from her missing eye, giving her ghostly, wraith-like aura an even more terrifying edge.
At this point, Demoness of Black Clarice, having resurrected through her mirrored self, reemerged from the shadows, once again wearing the Calamity of Crimson.
She had escaped the influence of the Box of the Great Old Ones through self-destruction. On another battlefield, Mr. Hanged Man Alger, noticing the disadvantageous situation Sharron faced, immediately prepared to open the Trunsoest Brass Book to add patch-like rules to the distorted equilibrium and alter the unfavorable dynamics.
The Trunsoest Brass Book had been unsealed but still suffered from deceit and trickery, leaving it with no blank space to inscribe new rules. Under these circumstances, its activation level was minimal, only capable of basic and initial applications. Yet, for Mr. Hanged Man Alger, this was sufficient.
At that moment, Demoness of Cyan Yalenna's three-headed black rooster raised its middle head with the bright crest: "Cock-a-doodle-doo!"
The crowing, which should have heralded dawn, instead summoned darkness.
Mr. Hanged Man Alger suddenly felt his soul plummeting, sinking into the viscous black
depths of his inner psyche.
Malice, dissatisfaction, and jealousy surged within him. He felt an overwhelming urge to conserve his strength and avoid unnecessary risks.
Why have they all become Angels, while I've yet to see my dawn?
These emotions affected Alger's actions. The black rooster's other two heads turned toward
him simultaneously:
The crestless head raised its left wing high, causing the space around him to darken and
thicken, folding inward to form a spherical prison.
The head with the faded crest had pitch-black eyes as Demoness of Cyan Yalenna's left hand materialized a straight sword of abyssal depth.
Meanwhile, in her right hand, Demoness of Cyan Yalenna now held a straight sword wreathed in black flames, the fire embodying madness, savagery, and destruction.
She swung both swords at Mr. Hanged Man Alger, who was trapped within the spatial sphere.
Suddenly, Mr. Hanged Man Alger's body shone with dazzling, holy sunlight, swiftly forming armor over his entire body.
Before entering the mirror world and joining the battle, Mr. Sun Derrick had cast the Sunlight Domain spell of Holy Armor on all his companions, except for Madam Temperance Sharron
and Mr. Moon Emlyn.
On yet another battlefield.
Facing the combined assault of Demonesses of Silver, Brown, and Green, Franca used her Mirror Substitution to withstand the first wave of attacks.
Her silhouette then appeared in a corner, and she rapidly flipped open the Post-Apocalyptic
Scripture to a specific page.
With her will, she had inscribed a prophecy onto the parchment: "All demigods attacking me
will suffer the backlash of their own Sealed Artifacts due to bad luck."
Smack!
The moment the Prophecy took effect, Franca employed Mirror Substitution to evade the
Demoness of Brown's curse.
...
In the special mirror world,
A crimson full moon rose slowly, casting a faint, eerie red hue over the rainforest-like black hair and the gray-white stones scattered everywhere.
Seeing this, Primordial Demoness Cheek spat with a smile, neither alarmed nor angry.
As She created multiple mirror projections to evade the attacks of Lumian and 0-17, She
addressed Roland, the former Matriarch of the Church of Earth Mother, who still carried numerous bird-clawed infants on Her body, "My daughter sent someone to stop me? "Does she not want me to be Her mother?
"As a mother, how can a mother lack a mother?
"Or is She waiting for me and Alista to unite again and give birth to Her anew?"
Hearing this, Matriarch Roland, whose expression had been kindly and loving, suddenly turned grim.
-x-X-x-
As Matriarch Roland's expression shifted, the tree-like black hair bathed in the crimson moonlight stretched toward the airborne Primordial Demoness.
The hair seemed to gain life and intelligence, turning against its original owner.
Throughout the "primeval rainforest" region, both in midair and on the ground, countless tiny, unseen mystical pathogens abruptly expanded in size. Some resembled fluffy spheres, others were clawed monstrosities, and some wore bizarre crowns. They varied widely in form and effect, embodying the authorities of Disease and Plague-capable of eroding even deities.
At this moment, these mystical pathogens, secretly spread by Primordial Demoness Cheek, gained enhanced power and turned against Her, targeting Her true body, Lumian, and 0-17.
All things have a spirit!
Primordial Demoness Cheek chuckled softly at the sight.
This laugh stirred an itch in the hearts of Lumian, 0-17, Matriarch Roland, the black hair, and even the mystical pathogens, slowing their actions.
Then, the Primordial Demoness unveiled Her Mythical Creature form.
She became enormous, still clad in Her white, bone-made dress, Her visage growing increasingly beautiful yet exuding different temperaments from various angles: pure, elegant, majestic, delicate, pristine, and decadent...
Her black hair, as thick as pythons, exuded an eerie slickness. Some strands rose and rotated, their black-and-white eyes spinning; others extended forward, sprouting serpent-like heads that flicked their tongues; and others coiled at Her feet, forming a vortex of snakes.
Whether one gazed directly at the Primordial Demoness or not, everything within the "primeval rainforest" reacted instinctively to Her presence.
The right half of Lumian's body swelled at the chest, while Cheek's face on his left side flushed seductively, the chaotic whirlpool-like visage subtly turning, resisting the mesmerizing allure.
The lifeless black eyes of 0-17 began to flicker faintly, betraying a hint of infatuation and intoxication.
Matriarch Roland's brown eyes turned tender and watery, Her lips parted to exhale a breath of turbid air. The bird-clawed infants attached to Her upper body ceased seeking milk and turned toward the sky in longing. The males among them even grew unfamiliar organs while their existing ones retracted, transforming them into girls.
The black hair that constituted the "primeval rainforest" also transformed into the hair of young girls, while the rebellious mystical pathogens became girl-like as well. All of them fell hopelessly under Primordial Demoness Cheek's spell.
Suddenly, Cheek's figure disappeared, flickering through the special mirror world to reappear around Matriarch Roland in various positions-high, low, left, right, in front, and behind- each leaving behind a Mirror Projection.
Each projection spoke in soft tones, sometimes laughing, sometimes weeping, their voices overlapping.
"My daughter doesn't want to acknowledge me as her mother?"
"But She truly was born from the Original Creator."
"And I am the man destined to become the Original Creator's feminine aspect."
"If She seeks my help, I would offer it willingly-that is a parent's duty."
"But She cannot stop the birth of Her father and mother!"
The Primordial Demoness's true body returned to the sky.
She clenched Her right fist.
With this motion, all the Mirror Projections surrounding Matriarch Roland collapsed into vortices composed of an illusory liquid encompassing all colors and possibilities.
These dozens of chaotic vortices rapidly expanded and merged into a single mass, swallowing Matriarch Roland, the clawed infants, and the crimson moon rising into the sky.
It heralded an apocalypse-a return to the primordial state.
Within the massive chaotic vortex, the crimson moon and Matriarch Roland floated intermittently, resisting complete disintegration and assimilation, struggling against the pull toward the primordial.
At this moment, a giant sword wreathed in black flames of destruction descended from the sky, striking the crimson moon and Matriarch Roland.
The sword, which embodied madness and destruction, was wielded by Lumian, splitting the crimson moon and Matriarch Roland apart.
Next, a spectral, abnormally-shaped scythe, cloaked in profound silence and darkness, arrived, cleaving into the split crimson moon and Matriarch Roland's form.
At this critical juncture, both Lumian and 0-17 prioritized burying Matriarch Roland and the mutations She brought forth!
Lumian's sapphire eyes met Primordial Demoness Cheek's gaze, as if to say, "This is our battle to resolve."
The Primordial Demoness returned a sweet, approving smile.
With the participation of the Sword of Destruction and the silent darkness, the chaotic mass binding the crimson moon and Matriarch Roland began to change.
It swallowed the two, collapsing violently and condensing into a deep, human-knuckle-sized black dot.
The black dot lacked something crucial, preventing it from further compression.
In an instant, the unstable black dot swelled and exploded, releasing a violent burst of light and heat.
The region of the special mirror world regained "substance," gradually stabilizing, but it no longer resembled the original primeval rainforest.
In the sky, the bright stars reappeared, and the crimson moon had not completely vanished. Instead, it became distant and dim, as though separated from the battlefield by layers of barriers-barriers of destruction and eternal darkness-temporarily preventing its return. Primordial Demoness Cheek withdrew Her gaze from the distant crimson moon, smiling at Lumian and 0-17. "Time is running out; it's your turn now."
As She spoke, shadows enveloped 0-17's delicate features, as if plunging Her into deep, silent
darkness.
This signified that the descent of the Evernight Goddess was nearing its end.
The barrier that had to be maintained and 0-17's limitations as an Angel placed a cap on how long she could continue the divine descent.
...
In the depths of the mirror world, on another battlefield.
Demoness of White Katarina, upon the battlefield's rebalancing, immediately activated the
Love's Dread ring worn on her left middle finger.
The crystalline spikes on the ring's glass band emitted a soft illusion.
The Demoness of Unaging's skin lost some of its luster while retaining a faint sheen. Her
eyes, nose, and mouth took on doll-like characteristics.
She transformed into an extraordinarily beautiful and intricately crafted doll, exuding a perfectly complementary charm.
To Mr. Moon Emlyn, this was incredibly captivating.
Under normal circumstances, he might have stopped to admire her, unwilling to cause harm. However, at this moment, he wore the crimson robe woven from what seemed to be blood.
The robe easily triggered his inner malice, countering the infatuation and even amplifying it. To Katarina's surprise, Mr. Moon Emlyn transformed into blood-like moonlight and charged toward her with intense possessiveness, rather than succumbing to infatuation or a desire to
protect.
Instinctively, Katarina extended gray-white energy from her left hand, spreading toward the viscous blood-like moonlight.
Simultaneously, indescribable ravings echoed in her ears, as if her innermost malicious emotions and desires were singing in unison.
Her hair lifted, thickened, and became slimy, about to sprout black-and-white eyeballs.
She showed signs of losing control.
Blood flowed from her nostrils, ears, mouth, and eyes. Her heart nearly stopped, and her
blood seemed to ignite.
Crack!
Katarina shattered, activating her Mirror Substitution ability.
The surging crimson moonlight turned gray-white and solidified into stone. However, the unaffected portion of blood and light abruptly retracted, reforming into Mr. Moon Emlyn clad
in his crimson robe with bat-like wings.
The Demoness of White's figure appeared in a corner of the battlefield, and she prepared to unleash catastrophe upon the area using the Love's Dread ring.
In the mirror world, catastrophe equated to fragmentation and collapse!
On another separated battlefield.
After confirming her opponent as Leonard, the Demoness of Crimson promptly revealed the
second rule on the surface of the Pillar of Severity, suspended by invisible threads:
"Teleportation is prohibited here!"
Seeing the ancient Hermes script in brass tones emerge on the dark stone pillar, Leonard, who
had been clearing his mind, recalled Pallez Zoroast in his thoughts.
The Angel of Time's form appeared through the Staff of the Stars, manifesting before
Leonard as an ancient wall clock, taking on the impact of time.
Clang!
A distant chime echoed, and the hands of the clock face-marked by blue and black-froze.
The Demoness of Crimson and the Pillar of Severity were immediately suspended in time.
Seizing the opportunity, Leonard activated his Nightmare abilities, falling into a deep slumber.
Shortly after, the chime faded, and everything returned to normal. Pallez Zoroast's form had
already vanished.
The Demoness of Crimson was drawn into a dreamscape-a dream tied to The Star Leonard's.
This prevented her from using the Pillar of Severity. Instead, she saw a staircase and a sign: "Blackthorn Security Company."
One of the Staff of the Stars' functions was to allow the wielder to recreate corresponding
abilities or individuals through mental visualization, enabling the summoned figure to launch a single attack.
Naturally, sufficient understanding of the ability or individual was required to avoid
anomalies.
Before this mission, The Star Leonard had asked Miss Justice to incept a psychological cue in
him, ensuring he would dream of Blackthorn Security Company and a certain individual upon
falling asleep.
This mental visualization enabled the Staff of the Stars to assist in bringing the figure to life.
In the next instant, the Demoness of Crimson saw someone emerge from the door of
Blackthorn Security Company.
The man wore a top hat, a formal suit, and carried a cane. He had black hair, brown eyes, an ordinary face, and a scholarly air-Klein Moretti.
-x-X-x-
The moment the Demoness of Crimson saw Klein Moretti emerge from the Blackthorn Security Company, an indescribable, instinctive, and overwhelming terror surged within her. Her teeth chattered uncontrollably, clacking at a rapid pace.
In her eyes, the Blackthorn Security Company appeared like a deep and dark cathedral, and the opponent from before was its bishop-serving the unknown, the mysterious, the bizarre, and the horrifying.
Now, the greatest horror they served had stepped out.
The Demoness of Crimson let out a sharp, fear-laden scream, her hair rising into the air. It thickened, became slimy, and burst open like a blooming flower, exposing black-and-white eyeballs.
Overwhelmed by extreme terror, she lost control.
And losing control would affect her mirror self and the slumbering mirrors.
In the next second, the movements of the out-of-control Demoness of Crimson became jerky and stiff, as if her joints were filled with glue or entirely rusted.
Her eyes, once brimming with fear and instinctual allure, quickly returned to normal. The transmission of Petrification and Pleasure through her long, thick black hair abruptly ceased.
She became docile. She became a marionette.
The figure of Klein Moretti, summoned by The Star Leonard through dreaming, could only perform one attack. He chose to turn her into a marionette.
Then, he dissipated at the entrance of the Blackthorn Security Company.
The dream shattered.
The Star Leonard opened his eyes to see the marionette of the Demoness of Crimson collapse lifelessly to the ground, devoid of any vitality. She was dead for good, with no chance of resurrection.
With a dull thud, the Pillar of Severity, no longer bound by invisible threads, crashed onto the void-black ground.
This change in the battlefield and The Star Leonard's performance struck fear into the hearts of the other Demonesses of Unaging.
They were all Sequence 3 Saints equipped with Grade o Sealed Artifacts, so how had he dealt with the Demoness of Crimson so swiftly?
Moreover, the Demoness of Crimson was a Demoness of Unaging, notoriously hard to kill and adept at resurrection!
If Leonard took a little more time to seal the Pillar of Severity, the battlefield partitions would be invalidated, and he and the Planeswalker would gain the freedom to join any other battlefield!
The Demoness of Orange felt an increasing sense of urgency.
Before her floated a card inlaid with what seemed to be shattered diamonds, radiating a brilliant light. The card's face constantly shifted between characters and scenes, producing a variety of effects directed at Mr. Sun and Madam Judgment.
But for now, none of these effects could break through the divine barrier created by the crown of dawn, nor could they allow the Demoness of Orange to bypass it and Blink directly to her targets.
The Demoness of Orange could only hope that the Demoness of Gold, with her Eye of God, would quickly unravel the divine barrier's mysteries, weaknesses, or flaws and launch a targeted attack.
This urgency wasn't solely due to how quickly the battlefield of the Demoness of Crimson had been resolved, which filled her with dread about the rapidly shifting tides of battle. It was also because the longer she used Tamara's Everchanging Card, the more likely one of its negative effects would manifest upon her.
As the characters and scenes on the card's face shifted continuously, the fixed pattern on Tamara's Everchanging Card's back would gradually change, producing various effects that acted upon the cardholder herself.
The Demoness of Orange glanced at the Demoness of Gold from the corner of her eye, noting the beads of sweat on her companion's forehead, which made the vertical eye on her forehead ornament gleam even more brilliantly.
Clearly, the Eye of God was not easy to use.
Meanwhile, having relied on Madam Judgment's help to activate the Glory Crown and create the divine barrier, The Sun Derrick finally caught his breath.
Looking at the Demonesses of Gold and Orange beyond the barrier, as well as the other battlefields and the dark, illusory mirror world, he found himself momentarily dazed.
He remembered what Mr. Fool had said to him at the temporary gathering, "Go and pursue
your justice..."
What is my justice?
What is the core justice that I am willing to cast everything else aside for?
Once again, The Sun Derrick felt the doubts that had plagued him for years.
After leaving the City of Silver and stepping out of the Forsaken Land of the Gods, he had witnessed normal ways of living and been exposed to a greater variety of values:
Good and evil;
Right and wrong;
Wealth and poverty;
Oppression and resistance...
These were all aspects of justice that The Sun Derrick had contemplated and practiced in his daily life.
But he always felt that none of them represented his core principle of justice-something else was more important.
This confusion had prevented The Sun Derrick from summarizing the final acting principle, leaving him unable to completely digest the potion of Justice Mentor.
In a flash of thought, considering the significance and purpose of this operation, scenes suddenly unfolded before Derrick's eyes:
The crimson moon piercing through barriers, descending to the ground;
The sky becoming perpetually dark, illuminated only by moonlight and starlight;
Humans piling into spheres, floating amidst the murk;
The Forsaken Land of the Gods distinguishing day and night by the frequency of lightning
strikes;
The Chief pushing open the door to the Giant King's Court, letting sunlight pour in...
The Sun Derrick's body moved, as though transported to the past.
He understood what justice he most wanted to pursue:
It was light, it was the sun-it was the existence and continuation of humanity as a species!
For that, he was willing to abandon everything else!
The Proof of Glory atop Derrick's head suddenly radiated brilliant light, and the immense power was directed toward the second Saint present, Madam Judgment, Xio Derecha.
The asymmetrical black-and-gold mask on Madam Judgment's face wriggled again. She withdrew the divine barrier, allowing a silver-white rapier to appear and pierce into the
Demoness of Orange's body.
Magnify!
Using Solomon's Mask, Madam Judgment amplified the silver-white rapier imbued with
power from Mr. Sun.
Inside the Demoness of Orange, the silver-white radiance exploded.
It brimmed with destruction, yet it was also sacred and resplendent.
On another battlefield.
The sacred armor adorning The Hanged Man Alger temporarily suppressed his malicious thoughts, preventing him from succumbing to the corrupted influences of the Demoness of Cyan Yalenna. Her Cull of Spiritual Flesh could not easily bypass the armor's defenses. However, the Cull of Spiritual Flesh, combined with a Sword of Destruction, eventually tore through the pure armor formed by divine sunlight, annihilating it completely.
At that moment, a new rule appeared on the brass book in Mr. Hanged Man's hand. "Normal beings may have one and only one head. All others must die!"
The three-headed black rooster perched on the Demoness of Cyan's shoulder suddenly trembled, as though sensing its impending doom.
Plop, plop! Two heads-one bare and the other with a dark red comb-fell off, their severed necks unnaturally clean, as though sliced by a blade.
Yet no blood spurted from the wounds. Instead, the severed heads fused with flesh and bone, wriggling as they attempted to grow new heads. However, an invisible force suppressed them, preventing success.
With Mr. Hanged Man freed from his dangerous predicament, Franca's situation shifted as
well.
Franca had been biding her time, anticipating the backlash from the Sealed Artifacts used by her three opponents after making the prophecy. Yet, as she observed the Demoness of Silver and the Demoness of Green, she noticed their subtle infatuation with her intentional display
of charm.
Wh-Franca realized a possibility.
The original Demonesses of Silver and Green might have died after the crimson moon's descent. The current ones were newly advanced Demonesses of Unaging.
Since the digestion of the Unaging potion usually took a century, these newly advanced might still be in an emotionally and lustfully unstable state for several years-perhaps even a decade or more making them vulnerable to the allure of Demonesses of the same tier.
And it had been less than a year since the crimson moon's descent!
Realizing this, Franca deliberately gave the Demonesses of Silver and Green a seductive smile.
Full Charm!
Even if her guess was wrong, Franca figured using Charm wasn't a poor choice. There was
little to lose in trying.
The Demonesses of Silver and Cyan's gazes turned enamored, longing to kneel before
Franca's boots. The Demoness of Brown was similarly affected, but thoughts of her current
lover helped her break free from the horrifying allure.
Beyond all the battlefields, on the dark periphery of this region.
A figure lay in wait.
He had white hair and wore a black robe. His eyes were deep and lightless, marking Him
unmistakably as Miracle Invoker Zaratul.
Zaratul had followed the orders of the Great Mother and arrived long ago, yet He hadn't joined the battle immediately. Instead, He remained hidden, patiently waiting for the right moment-the opportunity to convert everyone into marionettes and claim a bounty of Grade
o Sealed Artifacts.
That moment had come.
In the nearby shadows, Zaratul's current marionettes were ready, each capable of using His
abilities to create more marionettes.
Suddenly, Zaratul felt an intense sense of danger.
It was as if something was burrowing into His body.
He quickly attempted to switch places with one of his marionettes.
It was futile. Not only were all His marionettes similarly infiltrated by something, but His
attempt to exchange places had inexplicably failed-as though the very thought had been stolen from Him.
A figure appeared before Zaratul, wearing a pointed soft hat and a monocle.
Amon!
Amon's monocle reflected a glimmer of light. With a smile, He addressed Zaratul, "I'm a bit
late. But I felt there was still enough time, so I waited outside for any potential dessert to
arrive."
"Quite the coincidence..."
As He spoke, Amon lifted His head to gaze upward and added with a smile,
"I know this body of yours is merely a historical projection. But for the Error pathway, if a historical projection is Parasitized, doesn't that mean the original was also Parasitized? If your past self is Parasitized, how could your present self possibly avoid it? It's inevitable!"
A flicker of desperation flashed in Zaratul's eyes, yet the arrangements beyond His historical projection needed time.
Just a second or two later, His pupils seemed to dilate, carrying a hint of relief. Then, He
smiled.
He accepted the monocle Amon offered and placed it on His right eye.
-x-X-x-
Having eliminated Zaratul through sheer rank suppression and a surprise ambush, Amon glanced at the ongoing battles deeper within the mirror world. He chose not to interfere and vanished, leaving behind Zaratul and His marionettes.
In one of the battlefields.
Returning from the shadows, the Demoness of Black Clarice swiftly utilized the mirror world to create multiple Mirror Projections across different locations, a mix of real and false images. This was to evade the Transfiguration Curse from the opposing Disciple of Silence.
Although the Calamity of Crimson crown was a Grade o Sealed Artifact, it did not offer any resistance to the Transfiguration Curse. If the Demoness of Black tried to withstand it unaided, she would undoubtedly transform into a regular yet charming sheep, piglet, or rabbit-losing most of her abilities and traits.
If that happened, not only would Clarice be unable to wield the Calamity of Crimson, but the Grade o Sealed Artifact's negative effects might even cause her to die on the spot.
Even if she were lucky enough to avoid triggering the negative effects, how could a powerless sheep or any other animal-fight against a Sequence 3 Saint?
She would merely be slaughtered!
More critically, the Demoness Sect, with its stronghold in the Southern Continent, had significant experience dealing with the Transfiguration Curse due to frequent encounters with the Rose School of Thought. The Demoness of Black was acutely aware that the curse would target not only her true self but also her mirror self; the transformation was symmetrical.
Moreover, as a defenseless animal, she would be easily captured. Through the connection between her body and her revival arrangements, the enemy could uncover all the hidden dormant mirrors she had isolated in secret.
Such an outcome would mean the complete death of the notoriously resilient and difficult- to-kill Demoness of Unaging.
The Demoness Sect's strategy for countering the Transfiguration Curse was clear: if the enemy was below Angel-level and could only target a single entity, one should conceal the true body using methods like Mirror Projections. If the opponent was an Angel, however, extreme vigilance was required. One had to be ready to activate Mirror Substitution preemptively while holding a lethal pathogen in their mouth-if evasion failed and one transformed into an animal, they should immediately commit suicide.
Now, the Demoness of Black was employing the first strategy. This was not only because her opponent, Madam Temperance Sharron was a mere Sequence 3 Saint but also because Clarice sought to curse her opponent in return.
Each of the Mirror Projections created through the Calamity of Crimson carried a portion of power and could use their eyes as a medium to curse any target they saw-a classic Demoness's Curse.
With so many Mirror Projections at her disposal, the Demoness of Black was confident at least one would capture the enemy's figure and successfully deliver a curse. Even if the curse did not originate from her true body and could not severely injure or kill the target, it would still have a significant impact, creating opportunities for subsequent attacks.
Meanwhile, Black Demoness Clarice allowed the Calamity of Crimson atop her head to glow.
She brought catastrophe to the battlefield.
The catastrophe manifested as the gradual collapse and disintegration of the corresponding area of the mirror world.
This not only limited her opponent's ability to dodge, improving the chances of completing the curse, but also dragged all living beings in the battlefield toward annihilation and oblivion.
At that point, the Demoness of Unaging could revive, whereas a Disciple of Silence likely could not.
As the disaster unfolded, Madam Temperance Sharron remained expressionless, calm, and composed. All her emotions were tightly controlled.
She pulled out the second layer of her three-tiered jewelry box.
This was the second application of the Box of the Great Old Ones: This layer contained records of different locations, varied and numerous. It allowed the holder and all living beings within a certain range to be directly transported to the designated location. However, "designated" was not absolute. In actual use, the target location often changed randomly, making the final destination unpredictable, with only a slim chance of arriving at the intended place.
Madam Temperance Sharron now placed her faith in the blessing of the Angel of Fate, Will Auceptin. She believed that her "heart's desire" would come true!
The reason Sharron was entrusted with the Box of the Great Old Ones for this mission was not due to random allocation. The Tarot Club members had discussed beforehand above the gray fog which member would best utilize each Grade o Sealed Artifact to secure a swift victory.
The consensus was unanimous: the Box of the Great Old Ones was best suited for Madam Temperance.
Earlier, Sharron had not used the second layer of the jewelry box immediately because Empress Roselle was still present-a formidable Angel likely capable of interfering with or resisting what was about to occur.
Now, as Sharron opened the second layer of the Box of the Great Old Ones, she designated a location and activated its power.
Just as the Demoness of Black captured her opponent's figure and was about to complete her curse, the collapsing and annihilating mirror world suddenly shifted.
Accompanied by her Mirror Projections, she "accompanied" Sharron to a barren wilderness.
This wilderness was strewn with exposed gray-white rocks and densely packed skeletal remains stretching endlessly.
The Underworld!
The location Madam Temperance Sharron had designated was the Underworld. By sheer luck, the Box of the Great Old Ones avoided its usual randomness!
The moment the Demoness of Black and her Mirror Projections arrived in this desolate land, their bodies and expressions froze simultaneously.
The Mirror Projections shattered and dissipated instantly. The Demoness of Black's face turned pale, losing all semblance of vitality.
Both she and her mirror self perished in an instant.
Any living creature that entered the Underworld would die on the spot!
Madam Sharron watched silently as the Demoness of Black died. Her own figure had grown increasingly transparent, her face paler than before.
Once a Wraith, she was now equivalent to an evil spirit. Naturally, she did not need to fear instant death in the Underworld, provided she did not linger too long.
This unique trait was why the Tarot Club believed Sharron should prioritize using the Box of the Great Old Ones and the Staff of the Stars.
She could move her opponents-whether Demonesses or other enemies-to the Underworld!
Between the two artifacts, Sharron ultimately chose the Box of the Great Old Ones due to Mr. Star's unique trait.
Looking at the Demoness of Black's corpse, Sharron quietly retrieved the Calamity of
Crimson.
While the Underworld-induced death did not affect the isolated dormant mirrors, making it impossible to permanently kill the Demoness of Black, the revival process would take considerable time. She would no longer be able to participate in the current battle, and she had lost her Grade o Sealed Artifact.
...
Not only did Sharron face the collapsing and annihilating mirror world, but so did Mr. Moon
Emlyn.
Clad in the Robe of Divine Blood, he saw the ground collapse and the surroundings fade into nothingness. The malice within him grew increasingly uncontrollable. Spreading the bat-like wings covered in membranes on his back, he transformed into moonlight, directing it toward Demoness of White Katarina, who was also caught in the catastrophe, as though he was dragging her along with him.
Seeing the crimson moonlight approaching her, Katarina smiled and allowed the blood-red
moonlight to shine upon her.
Crack!
Her body shattered under the corrosive influence of the blood-red moonlight, reverting to a
mirror.
Moments later, she reappeared in another section of the collapsing battlefield, smiling as she watched the mirror world's destruction consume both the crimson moonlight and herself.
This battlefield soon turned into a void.
Seconds later, due to the overall structure of the mirror world remaining intact, boundaries formed within the void, creating new stable regions.
Demoness of White Katarina stepped out of the void, fully resurrected.
She had indeed perished in the destruction, but through her mirror self outside the collapsed
area, she returned.
This method was a quick way to resolve matters.
After scanning her surroundings and finding no trace of her enemy, Katarina smirked.
At that moment, a brazen voice echoed in her mind-it was The Moon Emlyn's.
"If I were you, I wouldn't be smiling."
"You're still alive?" Demoness of White Katarina blurted out and instinctively activated her
Mirror Substitution.
The mirror left in her place shattered, and Katarina's figure appeared at the edge of the
region.
Yet Emlyn's voice persisted in her mind: "If you had died completely earlier, I would've perished
too. But you didn't.
"Your greatest mistake was assuming resurrection would solve everything after your emotions and desires were first triggered. You didn't try to calm yourself.
"You and your mirror self share a connected psyche. If I could plant the seeds of malice deep within
your mind, I could also erode your mirror self's psyche.
"When my main body is destroyed, I can use these seeds to revive within you-igniting your desires,
burning your blood!
"Malice never dies. Neither do demons."
Demoness of White Katarina triggered her Mirror Substitution multiple times, but The Moon
Emlyn's voice never stopped.
Blood seeped from her pores, enveloping her completely.
Her mirror self suffered a similar fate.
Suddenly, the entire mirror world-or perhaps the entire world-began to shake violently.
...
Within the special mirror world, amid the intense tremors, 0-17's eyes grew increasingly dull
and lifeless.
Her body rapidly faded, as if being erased by an invisible eraser.
The Sealed Artifact departed the battlefield, returning to a protected zone. The divine descent
of the Evernight Goddess had concluded.
The tremors caused by the attacks on the astral barrier subsided. Primordial Demoness Cheek turned Her gaze to Lumian, who was gripping Salinger's Blood
Banner, using it as the vessel for the Sword of Destruction.
The deity had earlier escaped his strike by deliberately shattering Her Mirror Substitution. Now, She reappeared in another part of the sky, saying with a chuckle,
"Now it's just the two of us."
Before She could finish, the figure of Amon, wearing His pointed hat and monocle, suddenly
appeared in the area.
Adjusting His still-glowing monocle, Amon smiled at the Primordial Demoness Cheek.
"Apologies for being late. I had to make a quick trip to the astral world to steal a wish and enjoy a little dessert."
Amon's voice layered over itself, emanating from multiple rapidly flickering figures-never
staying in one place long enough to be Charmed or attacked by the Primordial Demoness.
Hearing Amon's words, Primordial Demoness Cheek narrowed Her eyes and clenched Her right fist.
The vortex of chaos that engulfed everything reappeared and expanded rapidly, attempting to consume the entire region.
"And that wish is..." Amon's monocle glowed brighter, releasing the stolen wish.
At the same moment, He Blinked away from the oncoming vortex.
A voice reverberated across the area, so potent that even the all-encompassing chaos could
only weaken it, unable to swallow it completely in short fashion.
"My wish is:
"All envisioned things in the special mirror world shall vanish briefly."
-x-X-x-
As Amon prepared to unleash the stolen wish, Primordial Demoness Cheek did not merely conjure another vortex of chaos to return everything to chaos. In addition, countless faint lights reflected and refracted within Her azure eyes, creating an indescribable sense of mystery.
These were near-omniscient eyes analyzing Amon's current state and weaknesses, searching for vulnerabilities to exploit.
In truth, Primordial Demoness Cheek knew of a way to deal with Amon quickly: linking the mirror worlds inside and outside the astral barrier to introduce the corruption of the Circle of Inevitability.
To instantaneously kill a Sequence 1 Archangel, one needed the corresponding pathway's Great Old Dominator!
Unfortunately, the barrier blocks any connection between the inside and outside... Reluctantly abandoning this idea, the Primordial Demoness focused on utilizing Her omniscient authority.
On the other side, Lumian was surrounded by the expanding vortex of chaos, preventing him from launching any further attacks for the time being.
Relying on the slow rotations of the vortex's face and the 0-01 carrying the black flames of destruction, he barely managed to keep the all-encompassing chaos stagnating in front of him. It flowed around him like tidal waves around a reef that might be submerged at any
moment.
As the voice representing the "wish" reverberated, Primordial Demoness Cheek finally saw Amon's current weakness.
He was not truly a dual-pathway god. He merely borrowed power from His past self through the Sequence 2 Sinner ability of the Inevitability pathway, with the permission of the current holder of the Error and Door pathway Uniquenesses.
Borrowed power that did not truly belong to oneself always left a chink in the armor. This was akin to when the Primordial Demoness split off part of Her Demoness of Apocalypse Beyonder characteristic, replacing it with an envisioned substitute to maintain Her rank and power. When faced with specific influences, She would inevitably suffer a severe setback.
For Amon to borrow power from the past using the Sinner ability, He had to remain in the state of a Sinner-this was the crux of the issue.
That power was from the past, and in the past, He was a Sinner!
As the wish was being spoken and about to be realized, Primordial Demoness Cheek caused the special mirror world that the vortex had yet to engulf to turn transparent, reflecting Amon's rapidly blinking figures.
Simultaneously, Primordial Demoness Cheek's pitch-black shadow abruptly rose and adhered to Her back.
Amon's shadow experienced the same transformation.
This was the inherent depraved nature present in all living beings!
Undoubtedly, the depraved nature of a Sinner was exceptionally strong, nearly equal to His very existence!
Amon's shadow, pitch black and viscous like slime, clung tightly to His body, unaffected by His rapid Blinking.
Apart from certain high-ranking individuals of select pathways, no one could separate from their own depraved nature. It could only be suppressed. For a Sinner, resistance was impossible, as They were depraved to begin with.
The black shadow enveloped Amon, sticking tightly to Him. Meanwhile, similar shadows continuously emerged from the depths of His psyche, merging inside and out, reshaping His
form.
Amon had previously stolen many abilities from the Sun pathway, but at this moment, He refrained from using them.
Otherwise, purification would not stop at His depraved nature-it would include the Sinner itself!
Amon first raised His head, and His left eye shone with light as brilliant as starlight.
The now-transparent borders of the special mirror world instantly turned dark and heavy.
As a Door pathway god, Amon sealed this area as a temporary measure. Immediately after, He leaped into a silvery, illusory river composed of interlocking and intricate symbols.
Before Him lay innumerable tributaries, each representing a different future.
He chose one of those fates, completing His self-redemption.
A holy light erupted as He emerged from the silvery river. He was no longer burdened by His depraved nature, nor was He at risk of being engulfed by the vortex of chaos.
However, He had now become an Angel of Redemption. He was no longer the Sinner of the past, nor the dual-pathway god He once was.
At this moment, the reverberating voice finally fell silent. The wish-"All envisioned things in the special mirror world shall vanish briefly"-was realized.
Primordial Demoness Cheek's figure suddenly shrank. Her rank and aura plummeted to the level of a King of Angels.
The expanding vortex of chaos simultaneously began to contract, quickly shrinking into a single point and vanishing entirely, failing to affect Amon, who had retreated to the edge of the battlefield.
For a short time within the special mirror world, Cheek was no longer a true god!
Now, She was only slightly stronger than Lumian but not overwhelmingly so. In terms of rank, She might even be slightly inferior.
Cheek abruptly transformed into a silver-white bolt of lightning, streaking toward the edge of the special mirror world at near-light speed.
She intended to escape this place.
If envisioned phenomena were invalid in this area, she would simply move elsewhere!
Outside, she would still be a god!
Primordial Demoness Cheek knew full well that for a wish to have an effective impact on someone like Herself a true god, the female body of the Primordial God Almighty-even the half-Lord of Mysteries would need to impose limits on time and scope. Without such constraints, the wish would likely distort, possibly even favoring Her. With restrictions in place, She could escape the affected area or hold out long enough to negate the wish.
Smack!
The silver lightning struck the heavy, dark edge of the special mirror world but failed to break
through.
The Door pathway god's seal.
The silver lightning reverted to Primordial Demoness Cheek. She turned to face Lumian, now resembling a flaming giant, and Amon on the battlefield's edge. Smiling, She said, "I'd love to see just how brief this 'briefly' is, but what I'd like even more is to see whether you can defeat me within such a short time."
Lumian offered no response. From the Traveler's Bag he had obtained, originally belonging to Franca, he produced a handful of metallic puppets and threw them backward.
The puppets instantly expanded, each over ten meters tall, resembling giants forged of steel. Before the battle, each had received boons from Sequence os of different pathways-boons with a time limit.
Lumian had waited until Mr. Fool's wish came true before bringing them out.
Smiling at Primordial Demoness Cheek, he declared, "As a Conqueror, how could I not have
my own army?"
Before he finished speaking, he led the dozen steel giants in a charge against the Primordial Demoness.
...
Deep within the mirror world.
The Demoness of Silver, her vision dazzled and mind ensnared by Franca's charming smile, felt a sudden pain. Her emotions and desires surged violently.
Instinctively looking down, she saw that the skull-shaped Sealed Artifact she carried was
gnawing on her.
Her mirror self suffered the same fate.
Amidst creaking and cracking sounds, her body rapidly decayed, dragging her Mirror Substitution and mirror self into ruin along with her.
The prophecy of the Post-Apocalyptic Scripture had been fulfilled: due to the violent fluctuations of her emotions and desires-the maddening obsession to offer both body and soul-the Demoness of Silver suffered a backlash from her own Sealed Artifact. It seemed
rather effective against a Demoness!
In no time, the Demoness of Silver was reduced to a skeletal corpse with decaying flesh hanging loosely from her bones.
Similarly, the Demoness of Green, also entranced by Franca's Charm, halted her attacks, unable to tear her gaze away from Franca's face-those sparkling, lake-blue eyes that reflected her very figure like a serene pool.
A strong sense of danger struck her. Instinctively, she tried to activate Mirror Substitution.
However, her thoughts had already become sluggish and stalled without her realizing it, preventing her from acting in time.
This delay stemmed from the negative effects of the black cloak she wore.
Black, quiet, and eerie flames ignited within Franca's eyes, silently enveloping the Demoness
of Green's figure.
Suddenly, similar black flames erupted within the Demoness of Green's body, inflicting
excruciating pain as they burned her soul.
A Demoness's Curse-one that could not be avoided unless Mirror Substitution was actively
used! The Demoness of Green let out an uncontrollable, blood-curdling scream as the quiet flames consumed her soul. Her body collapsed, blood oozing thickly.
Her mirror self suffered the same fate.
While Franca focused on the Demonesses of Green and Silver, the Demoness of Brown broke
free of Franca's Charm and unleashed a surge of grayish-white color that swept toward her.
Simultaneously, a faint light flickered on the gemstone bracelet around the Demoness of Brown's wrist, as though reflecting starlight.
The space in front, behind, above, and to the right of Franca twisted into shadowy barriers, cutting off her ability to travel through the mirror world or evade in other ways.
The only exit was to the left, where a tide of grayish-white swept in-a color that petrified
everything it touched. Even if Franca activated Mirror Substitution, the space where she
would reappear remained within the gray ocean.
Franca let out a soft chuckle, producing a mirror and sliding it between the pages of the Post-
Apocalyptic Scripture.
The next moment, she stepped into the space behind that mirror.
Being unable to escape didn't mean she couldn't hide in an existing hidden space or fortify it
for protection!
The gray tide engulfed the parchment-bound Post-Apocalyptic Scripture, adding a thick layer of stone dust. However, it failed to completely petrify the book, and the mirror tucked between its pages remained unscathed.
Seeing that both the Demonesses of Green and Silver were dead, with uncertain prospects of
revival and unable to rejoin the battle anytime soon, the Demoness of Brown's heart filled with fear. News of the other battlefields wasn't comforting either; several other Demonesses wielding Grade o Sealed Artifacts had already been swiftly defeated.
With thoughts of her lover weighing on her heart, she was unwilling to lose her life entirely in this chaos. Seeing that the situation was beyond recovery, she disregarded the Primordial Demoness's plans and activated one of the bracelet's gemstones.
Her body transformed into abstract symbols and concepts, slipping into the astral world to
"wander" toward her lover's hiding place.
However, when she exited the astral world, what appeared before her was not the familiar
scene she expected but a dense fog of gray and white.
She was lost.
The next second, she saw a stream of crimson moonlight flowing through the fog.
Suddenly, she felt something inside her stomach-something that tore at her flesh and blood.
-x-X-x-
Seeing that The Setting Sun Rooster now had only one head remaining and could not grow a new one for the time being, Demoness of Cyan Yalenna's eyes turned an iron-black hue, reflecting the pale weaknesses on The Hanged Man Alger's body.
She avoided using Weakness Investigation on the brass book, knowing it was beyond her ability to handle.
Amidst her investigation, the single remaining head on the black rooster perched on Yalenna's shoulder let out a sharp, malevolent crow.
The Hanged Man Alger immediately felt an invisible force pulling his consciousness and spirit downward, as though he were an irreversible sunset.
His facial muscles twitched uncontrollably, forming a grim, hateful expression.
Affected by the corrupted voice, he began to succumb to depravity.
However, unlike the initial moment when the three heads of the black rooster simultaneously brought different influences, leaving him in a dangerous situation reliant on passive protection, Alger now retained some room for maneuver.
Depravity was a process, not an instantaneous event.
Having been a Sea King for many years, The Hanged Man Alger had accumulated substantial high-ranking experience, which helped shape the temperament required of the Sailor pathway, also known as the Tyrant pathway. With a stern expression, he resisted the urge to be depraved and, with great difficulty and determination, activated one of his Beyonder powers.
At this moment, Demoness of Cyan Yalenna had already created several mirror projections of herself, each possessing a certain degree of power, surrounding The Hanged Man Alger. All of their eyes captured his figure.
She was on the verge of completing her curse, a Demoness's Curse fueled by the Fire of Destruction.
Just then, a terrifying, visible tornado spiraled into existence around The Hanged Man Alger, with him as its eye. The vortex expanded outward in rings, swelling in all directions.
This was the Sailor pathway's demigod-level ability-Hurricane.
Yalenna and her mirror projections lost sight of their target amidst the palpable, howling winds.
The Demoness's Curse she was about to unleash thus lost its medium.
Within the terrifying hurricane's eye, The Hanged Man Alger, while holding the Tyrant card to elevate his rank and sense of oppression, used it to dictate the second rule on the Trunsoest Brass Book: "This battlefield is a Land of Light, a domain of righteousness. All depravity and evil shall find no footing."
This was the high-level application of the Judgment pathway's ability to enact laws and decrees, which allowed multiple Prohibitions to take effect simultaneously by defining the environment.
In an instant, the dark battlefield, originating from the mirror world, was illuminated by an unknown source of light. The head of The Setting Sun Rooster drooped lifelessly with a snap, unable to utter corrupted words or emanate depravity.
Demoness of Cyan Yalenna also found herself unable to cast curses or other dark magic.
Her heart skipped a beat as she observed the other battlefields through her mirror projections, taking in the overall situation.
Without hesitation, Demoness of Cyan Yalenna took a step back, preparing to traverse through the mirror world.
The moment she formed this intention, the howling hurricane shattered into countless streaks of silvery-white lightning, bursting forth with a destructive, violent aura that engulfed the entire battlefield, transforming it into a forest of thunderbolts leading to inevitable destruction.
The Hanged Man Alger left no chance for the Demoness of Cyan to escape the battlefield. After releasing Lightning Storm, now free of the influence of depravity, he broke into a sweat as he laboriously manifested the third rule on the Trunsoest Brass Book.
At this stage, limited by his own rank, even with the support of the Tyrant card, any rules he established had to be derivative of the first two and could not come out of thin air.
Facing the area-wide assault of the thunderbolt forest, Demoness of Cyan Yalenna sketched a radiant smile.
Suppressing the use of her Mirror Substitution ability, she allowed the Lightning Storm to shatter her body, leaving her flesh charred and evaporating.
She deliberately died this way, escaping the battlefield through her mirror self and returning to a hidden location.
The Demonesses of Unaging participating in this battle had all prudently left their mirror selves outside this region of the mirror world, rather than bringing them into battle. In a battlefield involving multiple Grade o Sealed Artifacts, a mirror self without a Grade o Sealed Artifact would be of little use and was better kept as a means of ensuring escape at a critical moment.
As Demoness of Cyan Yalenna died painfully within the Lightning Storm, the third rule on the Trunsoest Brass Book was completed: "Depraved and evil entities shall be confiscated." Yalenna's body was completely destroyed and evaporated, but The Setting Sun Rooster remained, falling straight to the ground.
...
After her body was destroyed from within by an eruption of countless silvery swords, the Demoness of Orange returned from annihilation, catching the Tamara's Everchanging Card and completing her resurrection.
In the next moment, she and the Demoness of Gold felt a powerful suppression, weakening them in all aspects.
When The Sun Derrick finally comprehended the core of his righteousness, the traits of the Justice Mentor were fully brought to bear!
The Notary and Unshadowed abilities gained new manifestations at the Justice Mentor level, enhancing actions aligned with core righteousness while weakening or nullifying those that contradicted it.
This time, The Sun Derrick participated in this operation to help Lumian resolve the Demoness Sect and enable the emergence of a new great existence to save the world.
This was his justice, his light, his sun, and he was putting it into practice. Anything obstructing this endeavor was an unjust act!
Immediately afterward, The Sun Derrick used Madam Judgment as a medium to unleash another ability of Proof of Glory.
Blinding light spots erupted from Madam Judgment, Magnified by Solomon's Mask into a terrifying storm that shredded everything around it.
But before that could happen, the Demoness of Gold, aided by the Eye of God, foresaw the
signs and made her decision.
Wisdom always allowed her to make the right choice!
With a crisp crack, she actively used her Mirror Substitution.
Influenced by her, Demoness of Orange also activated her Mirror Substitution.
The ensuing Hurricane of Light swept through, devouring only two mirrors.
When the Hurricane of Light subsided, the two Demonesses of Unaging wielding Grade o
Sealed Artifacts reappeared in a corner.
The battle continued for a while, with neither side able to achieve a decisive victory. Suddenly, the Demoness of Gold transmitted a message to the Demoness of Orange through
her mirror projections: "Change the battlefield-to the kill zone!"
The kill zone... The Demoness of Orange was momentarily stunned.
Quickly grasping her companion's intent while also monitoring the other battlefields, she
directed the Tamara's Everchanging Card floating before her to rapidly shift its front-facing
pattern.
The new pattern depicted a gray-white backdrop filled with countless black "snakes."
As the scene unfolded, The Sun Derrick and Judgment Xio Derecha felt the surroundings growing increasingly illusory, as though a transformation was imminent.
At once, The Sun Derrick channeled the power of the Glory Crown into Madam Judgment. Judgment Xio stabbed her longsword downward.
Holy and resplendent light surged forth from the void around them, forming a sturdy and pure spherical barrier that shielded the two Major Arcana card holders, rooting them to the
battlefield.
Simultaneously, Judgment Xio imbued the barrier with distorting power, redirecting the battlefield shift elsewhere.
She reasoned that it was unwise to passively follow the Demonesses' lead to an evidently
abnormal location.
What if that place turned out to be the divine kingdom of the Primordial Demoness?
If that were the case, even without a trap, both she and The Sun Derrick would be unable to
withstand it!
Since their primary objective was to support Lumian in devastating the Demoness Sect Cult rather than to kill anyone specific, it was better to play it safe and regroup with victorious
allies from other battlefields to pursue the enemy later.
Moments later, the environment around them transformed.
The light-formed spherical barrier wavered violently, as though struck by the fiercest of storms, but it remained firmly rooted in the current battlefield.
The Demoness of Gold and Demoness of Orange, carrying their respective Grade o Sealed Artifacts, shifted to the scene depicted on the Tamara's Everchanging Card and did not return to the mirror world or face Judgment Xio and The Sun Derrick again.
They had fled.
The wielder of the Eye of God always foresaw shifts in the situation and made the right
choices at the right time.
Demonesses of Unaging are truly hard to kill... Judgment Xio murmured in quiet admiration.
...
Within the special mirror world,
Lumian slashed at the airborne Primordial Demoness Cheek with the Sword of Destruction,
using Salinger's Blood Banner as its medium.
The blade seemed to carry a hint of the River of Eternal Darkness's corruption, its black flames restrained yet increasingly terrifying.
Behind Lumian, his puppet army suddenly scattered. Part moved to the Primordial Demoness's back, part to the area above Her, while others flanked Her sides and below.
This was Blink.
Each puppet could Blink!
With 0-01, Lumian could share Beyonder powers among his team.
The source of the Blink ability was a metallic puppet among them, imbued with an Angel-
level boon from Mr. Fool himself-a power that could only last three minutes once activated. The puppet raised a staff formed of starlight, causing the surrounding void around Primordial Demoness Cheek to warp downward, forming a cage to hinder Her escape. Primordial Demoness Cheek smiled faintly at the sight and clenched Her right hand. Once again, a vortex of chaos encompassing all colors and possibilities appeared around Her body, though it lacked the terror and oppression it held earlier. Although the Primordial Demoness was no longer a true god for now, She still possessed a Uniqueness-Her rank was undeniably real!
-x-X-x-
At the edge of the battlefield, Amon observed as Primordial Demoness Cheek once again conjured a vortex of chaos, and a smirk immediately curled across His lips.
Raising both hands, He was enveloped entirely in the holy glow of redemption.
Within the monocle's field of vision, the silvery river of fate corresponding to that region appeared. Every tributary of its future was occupied by chaos, leaving no other possibilities- inevitable destruction.
Amon abruptly brought His hands together, clasping them tightly.
At that moment, He seemed like someone earnestly praying in the Ancient Sun God's cathedral.
Almost simultaneously, within that silvery, illusory river of fate-where the tributaries were about to merge and unify destiny into chaos-a new tributary inexplicably emerged, representing another potential future.
In this new tributary, chaos persisted but did not destroy everything in the region.
The Angel of Redemption-saving the future by creating something out of nothing!
As the river of fate shifted toward this new tributary, the chaotic vortex Primordial Demoness Cheek had created abruptly erupted with a sense of renewal before dissipating entirely.
Moments later, the chaotic vortex re-emerged from the area of renewal, once again disassembling and encompassing everything around it.
It fell into a cycle-a loop of destruction and creation.
This confined it to a small range, unable to directly obstruct Lumian's Sword of Destruction, which was about to strike.
Behind the Primordial Demoness, one of the metallic puppets now wielded a massive, deformed black scythe.
The puppet swung its weapon toward the target, carrying with it a silence of unlit darkness.
This was a boon from the Evernight Goddess, an Angel-level temporary boon!
To the Primordial Demoness's right, another steel puppet transformed into a massive, featureless serpent adorned with patches of white feathers and enormous wings.
This metallic feathered serpent turned into a silent, lifeless white torrent that surged toward its target.
This was also a boon from the Evernight Goddess-a temporary angelic power with a very limited duration.
On the Primordial Demoness's left, yet another steel puppet grew to an enormous size, comparable to Lumian himself.
At some point, it had gripped a colossal sword of orange-red light that radiated the aura of approaching twilight and the decay of all things.
The orange-red sword also slashed toward the Primordial Demoness.
In an instant, Cheek seemed enveloped by twilight, frozen in the orange-red glow. Her thoughts and actions slowed, as if she existed in a different world from Lumian.
Her attempt to destroy Herself was thus delayed.
Twilight had arrived!
After these three metallic puppets delivered attacks at the Primordial Demoness representing different authorities of endings, they were each destroyed on the spot. Some lost their spirituality, others their sense of life, and others corroded rapidly into rust.
They were disposable vessels for carrying those three powers, solidified from Lumian's flames.
The silent darkness, pale death, orange-red twilight, and Lumian's Sword of Destruction struck Primordial Demoness Cheek simultaneously.
Suddenly, parts of these forces intertwined.
These mere Angel-level powers tangled into a deep black point, absorbing all light, sound, and matter.
The black dot prominently appeared on Cheek's skeletal-dressed body, instantly collapsing Her into it, along with all Her Mirror Substitutions.
Elsewhere within the special mirror world, Primordial Demoness Cheek's mirror self, a handsome man with a blood-stained face, twisted in expression before vanishing as if evaporated into thin air or erased with an eraser.
In various hidden places across the ruins of the Northern and Southern Continents and within Primordial Demoness Cheek's divine kingdom established in the mirror world, one dormant mirror after another was erased by an unknown power, reaching their end.
The next second, Franca, Mr. Star Leonard, and the others-fresh from completing their battles in the depths of the mirror world-were struck with an inexplicable daze, almost forgetting who they were assisting Lumian against and whom the Demoness Sect worshipped.
Or rather, had such a deity ever truly existed?
In the ruins of Trier, Demoness of Gray Judith and Demoness of Yellow Tissavica nearly forgot They had a true god ancestor. They felt that the Demoness Sect's deity must have been an imagined, symbolic figure.
Struggling to recall the title "Primordial Demoness" and the name "Cheek," Their expressions changed dramatically as they realized something had gone terribly wrong.
These two experienced Demonesses of Catastrophe immediately created large-scale calamities to prevent Madam Justice and Madam Magician from approaching.
Then, without a moment's hesitation, They began self-destruction.
Within the special mirror world.
The deep black dot lasted only a second before it completely disintegrated and vanished, seemingly incompatible with this universe.
The Primordial Demoness's Uniqueness and the two Demoness of Apocalypse Beyonder Characteristics were not ejected as a result.
Suddenly, Cheek-clad in Her skeletal dress-reemerged from the void.
She smiled warmly at Lumian and Amon, saying, "Unless all mirror worlds are destroyed, you
cannot truly kill me.
"Do you still believe you can defeat me before the wish's effect ends?"
With that, Cheek's beautiful eyes shifted to Lumian. "Do you wish to surrender?"
The Primordial Demoness was clearly stalling for time. Once Mr. Fool's wish expired, She would regain Her status as a bona fide Sequence o deity, potentially even surpassing some true gods.
Lumian chuckled, tilting his head to glance at Cheek's face on the head growing from his left shoulder.
"Since I possess a part of you, how could I not understand your relationship with the mirror
world?
"That earlier strike was just to dismantle your other resurrection arrangements.
"As for now..."
Lumian's blue eyes, framed by Cheek's encouraging and sweet smile, grew unnervingly vivid. The blood-colored banner between his brows shone even brighter.
Primordial Demoness Cheek suddenly realized something, and Her expression subtly
changed.
At the same time, black flames of constrained violence and destruction ignited in Lumian's
gaze.
Curse!
A Demoness's Curse, driven by the City of Calamity's power and the Fire of Destruction! Lumian cursed the Cheek face on the head growing from his left shoulder.
It was both a part of him and a powerful mystical link to Primordial Demoness Cheek, making
it one of the best curse mediums.
Thus, Lumian was cursing both himself and Primordial Demoness Cheek!
Behind him, two steel puppets had already undergone transformations.
One appeared to don an illusory black cloak, while the other wore unrealistically dark gloves.
Fooling! Loophole!
Since the Primordial Demoness was currently equivalent to the mirror world itself-Her demise dependent on its destruction-the inverse was also true. To curse the Primordial Demoness was to curse all mirror worlds!
Instantly, Lumian's entire being ignited, black flames of destruction bursting forth to annihilate all constraints of madness.
This caused the iron-black, symbol-etched skeleton of his body to begin melting rapidly. The blood-soaked violet flames within him were assimilated or consumed.
Lumian's face twisted uncontrollably in extreme pain. Yet, amidst the agony, he displayed
reckless joy, unashamed of his exhilaration.
He looked at Primordial Demoness Cheek and saw the peerless beauty ignited by black flames
of Fire of Destruction, burning Her from soul to body.
Primordial Demoness Cheek furrowed Her brow, unable to suppress the sensation of life slipping away and Her divine seat crumbling.
This type of curse might have been manageable when She was still a true god, using Her corresponding authorities to counteract it. However, in Her current state as a King of Angels, She was neither much higher in rank than Lumian nor much stronger-only possessing
additional unique qualities.
As Primordial Demoness Cheek was engulfed in the Fire of Destruction, the special mirror world itself was also set ablaze with raging black flames.
All mirror worlds within the astral barrier succumbed to the inferno, melting and collapsing
en masse.
Franca, The Hanged Man Alger, and others quickly collected their spoils and fled the mirror
world, returning to the ruins.
One by one, the mirrors Franca carried cracked and shattered.
Rather than feeling alarmed, she was delighted.
This was Lumian's Fire of Destruction!
Within the special mirror world.
As the destructive black flames spread and burned, Amon smiled and shook His head, lifting
the seal and departing the soon-to-be-destroyed realm.
Empress Roselle-having been banished to the spirit world-was initially startled, then
rejoiced.
At last, She was no longer bound by the special mirror world, nor subject to its owner's
commands.
With Fourth Epoch Trier destroyed, the corresponding seal was undone. She was free to leave
the special mirror world and avoid perishing with it.
Amidst the crackling flames consuming Cheek, Her slightly dazed expression shifted to a
smile as she said to Lumian, "You're more ruthless than I expected, even cursing yourself to
curse me."
At this moment, most of Lumian's body had been consumed by the Fire of Destruction, leaving only the three heads unscathed.
The face of the chaotic vortex still resisted the encroachment of the black flames, but only for
a little longer.
Primordial Demoness Cheek flew toward Lumian, trailing a long black flaming tail. Landing in front of him, she spoke without concealing Her pain yet full of mirth, "We were destined to merge from the beginning. If you hadn't obtained 0-01 and Medici's two Conqueror Beyonder characteristics, I wouldn't have come to meet you today.
"Our battle was merely over control. Now, I admit, you're well-suited to being Alista Tudor.
"You've won. I will voluntarily merge into your body, with you as the dominant consciousness. After all, I'm not ambitious-I only wished to be half of the Original Creator. Even under your control, I'll still be His half."
As She spoke, Primordial Demoness Cheek's body began to disintegrate, regressing into the Uniqueness and Demoness of Apocalypse Beyonder Characteristics that carried Her self- awareness and spiritual imprint into the Cheek face on Lumian's left shoulder.
This process was irreversible.
At that moment, Primordial Demoness Cheek saw Lumian's face, illuminated by the burning
Fire of Destruction, curl into a mocking smile.
Lumian grinned with satisfaction and said, "Thank you for voluntarily merging.
"But it won't be long before I die-and you'll perish with me."
Hearing the latter part, Primordial Demoness Cheek's phantom-like, stunning face froze
slightly in expression.