After going into the sea, I met the witch.

The Blood Witch Serena created this magnificent stage in a way he couldn't comprehend.

With his feet planted on the blood crystal pillar tens of meters high, Ryan rushed to the pyre. As he approached, the blood-red chains binding Freyne disappeared, and the unconscious witch fell down, only to be caught by Ryan in a princess carry.

After sensing Freyne's steady breathing, Ryan breathed a sigh of relief. He turned around, raised his head, and focused his gaze on the Blood Witch in the distance.

Although there were no words, the meaning in their eyes was very clear—I have played along with your "performance," and now it's time for us to leave, isn't it?

Even Caius, the tavern owner in the "special audience seats," stood up, ready to leave.

The Blood Witch Serena paid no heed to Ryan's gaze, instead gazing at the petite girl in his arms, her voice leisurely:

"The 'hero' rescued the 'first witch,' leaving a glimmer of hope for the world."

"Everything was meant to be this way..."

"But is this really what the 'First Witch' longed for?"

"Her body had long been riddled with holes from the endless pursuit, and her family and everything she cared about had been destroyed to ashes."

"Tell me, if you were the 'First Witch,' would you still care about the existence of this world?"

"I'm afraid no one knows the answer to this question."

"However, the curse left by the 'First Witch' has continued to affect all witches in later generations, and no one has been able to escape it."

The Blood Witch Serena slowly landed on the blood crystal pillar where the "special audience seats" were located. Looking at Caius, she said softly, "Mr. Caius, no, I should call you by your code name in the circus, [Actor] Mr. Caius, I wonder if your troupe leader is satisfied with the 'performance' I have presented?"

"...What are you saying?" Caius's smile remained unchanged: "The captain is far away in the Inner Sea District. Even if I were to reply, I would have to wait until I return and submit the 'performance recording'."

The Blood Witch Serena gazed at Caius, but her gaze wasn't fixed on the man before her; it was upon something far more distant. She paid no heed to Caius's words, and instead began to speak on her own:

"Rumor has it that circuses are keen to collect all sorts of 'scripts,' then modify them and present them to the 'audience' in a 'novel' way."

"The role of the actor is responsible for performing and collecting scripts in the circus."

"This is the common understanding."

"What the world doesn't know is that, in fact, every [actor] carries within them a wisp of the circus ringmaster's spirit."

"When the actors 'see' the brilliant script, the circus ringmaster, who is far away, already knows the whole picture of the 'script'."

"You agree, Mr. [Commander]."

"..." Caius fell silent. A second later, he raised his head again. Although his appearance had not changed, his temperament and spirituality had undergone a tremendous change: "Where did you learn all this, Blood Witch, Serena?"

"Even if we knew all this, what would be the point?"

Caius's voice had become more profound.

"You sent out invitations to my circus to come and watch, just to expose this 'trivial' matter?"

“Of course not.” The Blood Witch Serena laughed. Despite wearing a mask, one could clearly sense her bright and cheerful demeanor. “Since you are satisfied with this ‘performance,’ it is only right that you pay some compensation, isn’t it?”

"Although I never expected this 'performance' to happen."

"But just like the legendary 'hero' who appeared, who could have imagined that he could rescue the 'First Witch' from the hands of the church and angels?"

"Perhaps, this is fate..."

Caius frowned, looking at the crimson chains binding him. He didn't try to resist. If his true form were here, he certainly wouldn't fear the Blood Witch; on the contrary, she should be the one fearing him. But now he was just a mere wisp of spirit...

"So, what are you going to offer as payment?" Caius's tone remained calm.

"Fate... One of the requirements for becoming a fifth-tier legendary profession, [Fate Guide], is to personally lead a 'performance' that possesses 'fate characteristics' and is recognized by at least a fifth-tier being... Fate is unpredictable and difficult to control. Although your 'performance' is spectacular, it is also very risky. Even if someone else were to 'play' the hero, it would be impossible to complete the 'performance'..."

"I act as your 'audience' and endorse your 'performance.' Isn't that enough to be considered compensation?"

"You should know what the consequences will be if you kill someone from the circus."

"Blood Witch Serena, do you want to have another powerful enemy in your current situation?"

"As you said, the circus is very powerful. Having another enemy like you is more of a disadvantage than an advantage for me." The Blood Witch Serena's voice still held a hint of laughter: "However, I'm not normal, hehe."

As she spoke, a brass-colored, antique-looking metal box appeared in the Blood Witch's hand.

As the box was opened, a withered, wrinkled strip of cloth appeared in Caius's eyes.

Upon seeing this object, Caius's expression changed for the first time.

"A forbidden item—a blood-stained shroud?!"

"How dare you do this? Are you out of your mind?"

For the first time, a fluctuation appeared in Caius's calm voice.

"Don't worry, I won't use it to curse your true form. I only need to extract the wisp of legendary spirituality that you have stored in this body."

“I never expected this ‘performance’ to come to fruition, so from the very beginning, my goal has been you…”

The moment the words were spoken, the withered yellow cloth strip inside the box emitted a dark red halo, enveloping "Caius".

When the "forbidden object - the bloodstained shroud" was placed on him, "Caius" calmed down.

He stared intently at the Blood Witch before him: "You will pay the price for your choices."

"Of course, I'm looking forward to it."

The Blood Witch Serena's tone remained smiling. Under the dark red stain, "Caius's" body seemed to transform from a three-dimensional form into a two-dimensional plane. At the same time, a faint golden spiritual radiance, under the pressure of the dark red, peeled away from Caius's body.

The Blood Witch Serena raised her hand, letting the pale golden spiritual light float above her palm.

The brass-colored metal box closed, and a sharp metal spike extended from its surface, piercing through the Blood Witch's left hand.

Her body swayed slightly, and her entire left hand withered at a visible speed.

The Blood Witch paid no attention to this.

She turned around, took a step, and instantly appeared beside Ryan.

Looking at the young man who was on high alert, the Blood Witch Serena smiled: "What a strange fellow. But only someone like you is qualified to be a witch's partner, isn't he?"

"Sir Knight, congratulations! You have miraculously and fatefully completed the trials of the 'Hero' and 'First Witch' scenarios. Now, please follow me to claim your rewards."

The Blood Witch Serena gently touched the ground in front of her with her withered and pale left hand, and then, blood-red ripples spread out.

Ryan felt a lightness in his body and was surprised to find that the blood crystal pillar carrying him and the Blood Witch was rapidly descending.

At the same time, the crimson stage began to collapse, turning into streams of blood that fell into the crater of the extinct volcano below.

The Mingjin Volcano, which had been dormant for countless years, began to tremble under the influence of blood, and the frequency and intensity of the tremors increased.

The volcano is about to reactivate.

The blood crystal pillar where Ryan was located was directly above the crater that was about to erupt, and not at the entrance, but directly inside it, less than a few meters away from the solidified volcanic lava.

A strong smell of sulfur filled his nostrils, and even at this distance, Ryan could clearly feel the surrounding temperature rising sharply. He stared in astonishment at the Blood Witch.

No, sis, if you want to die, don't drag us down with you!

The Blood Witch Serena produced a strange sphere radiating a rich crimson color and threw it into the solidified rock.

Amazingly, the hard rock layers seemed to exist in front of the sphere, and were easily penetrated by it.

The crimson light on the surface of the sphere became even brighter, making the rock layers appear transparent.

From Ryan's perspective, the sphere fell all the way down and finally landed in front of a stone temple, in a slot of a protruding stone pillar.

Stone palace?

Ryan's pupils contracted slightly.

Deep within the Mingjin extinct volcano, there is actually a stone palace!

Chapter 98 A Grand "Performance", The Ultimate "Acting" (Part Two)

As the luminous sphere and the slot fit together perfectly, the already transparent rock layer miraculously began to sink, and the volatile Mingjin Volcano fell back into slumber.

No, that's not right!

Ryan stared intently at the stone hall.

The lava that should have been gushing out was being absorbed by the stone palace, causing crimson patterns to gradually appear on its surface.

"This is?"

Ryan couldn't help but speak up.

"The Blood Moon Temple is an ancient relic passed down from the last era. Its existence is almost unknown to people. To open it, a specific 'key' is required."

The Blood Witch Serena offered a few words of explanation in a low voice.

"The previous era?" Ryan was stunned for a moment, then realized what he meant.

The current era is the Golden Age, but before that, there was the Divine Age when the gods still existed.

Legend has it that in that era, the kingdoms of gods were like stars adorning the sky, and faith was the only path.

As crimson patterns spread across the entire stone hall, a handprint-shaped groove appeared on the dusty door.

The Blood Witch stepped forward, and an indescribable, powerful spiritual energy rose from her body. This spiritual energy was so strong that Ryan felt as insignificant as if he were facing a vast ocean.

"The key, combined with a pure and unpolluted wisp of legendary spirituality, can open the 'Blood Moon Temple'."

The Blood Witch raised her right hand and gently pressed it into the handprint groove, and in the process, she pressed the legendary spirituality from the "circus ringmaster" into it.

The next moment, a dazzling crimson light completely filled Ryan's vision.

After an unknown amount of time, when the light faded, what appeared before him was a slowly rotating vortex gate.

"The reward I'm giving you is the qualification to enter this 'Blood Moon Temple.' As for how much you can gain inside, that's up to you."

"Go."

With a gentle wave of his hand, the Blood Witch Serena, Ryan instantly felt his body lose control again. He was swept up by the surging tide of blood and, along with Freyne in his arms, was plunged into the vortex gate of the Blood Moon Temple.

The two bodies were completely swallowed by the vortex gate, and after a dozen seconds, the vortex gate slowly closed.

The Blood Witch Serena smiled, turned around, took a step forward, and her body transformed into countless blood-red light spots.

At the edge of the crater, the enormous moon wolf sat quietly, its body now completely covered in blood, with not a trace of its former pure white remaining.

The Blood Witch Serena appeared beside the Moon Wolf, knelt down, and gently embraced him.

Her figure was so petite compared to the moon wolf, yet the image of the two embracing each other gave people an incredibly harmonious feeling.

It seemed as if it were meant to be this way, as if it were how it should be.