Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

Sparse trees cannot form a forest, and without a forest, there will be no strange or unusual wild animals. Although even if an ancient dragon lived here, it would only be used to make chicken wings, it's always better to avoid trouble.

“I’m sure I’ve seen her before… Is this the ‘Gail’ you’re planning to make for yourself?” Alice frowned and asked.

“Yes, this is the ‘Slave Knight Gale’ I prepared for myself.” Shenqi nodded repeatedly, placing the exquisite portrait on her lap. “You see, didn’t the White Cult come to Clear Spring Town to cause you trouble? And now I’m in your ranks, so causing you trouble is the same as causing me trouble. So, in order to eliminate these troubles, I need a suitable tool.”

She flexed her fingers and took out two delicate little cookies from a small box on the side of the carriage. As she put them to her lips, her eyes narrowed slightly from the sweetness, and she seemed quite content.

“It’s perfectly normal for you to feel that she looks familiar, because she has a real-life counterpart in this world.” Shinki pursed her lips and explained to Alice’s question. “She is ‘Binana, the Heavenly Princess,’ the origin of the Lothric angelic faith. She was once called ‘Daughter of the Angels’ and was worshipped, and then she disappeared without a trace in a long war—and the ‘Gale’ I chose is based on her, with her image redesigned.”

“After all, I knew her in the past. Back when the world of painting was Ariandel or Elijah, I had some contact with her. Although it wasn’t a very pleasant encounter, I suppose it’s alright to use her image to do something for me.” Shinki playfully stuck out her tongue, looking smug with satisfaction at her scheme’s success. Alice had never seen her display such joy before, and for a moment, she was momentarily lost in thought.

But that was only for a moment.

"...Not a very pleasant encounter?" Alice quickly recovered, reaching out to take the completed but not yet realized painting from Shinki's lap. She gazed at the woman in the painting, and for some reason, although 'Gale' in Shinki's painting was clearly smiling, she sensed a hint of sadness in her scarlet eyes.

A strange feeling, a feeling of not understanding. And this feeling quickly disappeared.

Outside the window, the carriage wheels continued to turn slowly and steadily, and the sunlight streaming down from the plains brought a touch of warmth to the interior as the carriage swayed gently.

[Sadness... Strange, my first instinct when I saw that face was to punch her. But why is that feeling fading...?]

[I can't understand...]

Alice raised an eyebrow slightly and asked, "Did she provoke you? If I remember correctly, you should have always been in the world of painting."

“I’ve always been in my ‘world’,” Shinki tilted her head slightly, looking at Alice. “But just because I stayed put and didn’t bother her doesn’t mean she won’t bother me. I was doing just fine in my world, when suddenly one day she arrived in my world with a bunch of random guys through some strange means—”

She shrugged—Alice found herself seemingly enjoying doing the gesture as well.

"—So what if she came? After all, she's a guest, and I can tolerate this level of recklessness sometimes. But she and her group ran rampant in my world, making a complete mess of my carefully designed set and script. What angered me even more was that she actually broke one of my precious props that I had painstakingly crafted! Even though it was only a half-finished product, it still made me extremely furious!"

"……so?"

"So I gave her a good beating, to teach her a lesson she shouldn't mess with." Shen Qi raised her chin and gave a soft 'humph'. "I specially prepared a cage for her. The material isn't very sturdy, but it's just right so that this clueless girl can lock herself up—since she broke one of my important tools, I'll use the remnants of that tool as shackles to bind her. And it seems to be working quite well—after all, the reason she disappeared in the history books was because she was locked in that fragile cage, and since we still haven't heard from her, she should still be in that cage."

The carriage rolled over a small stone, and the whole carriage bounced slightly.

"Well, let's not talk about her. She's just an ignorant idiot. Even though she's already admitted defeat to me, an idiot is an idiot." Shinki chuckled, took the painting from Alice's hand, added a few more strokes, and then tossed it out the car window. After that, it was as if nothing had happened. Outside the window, all was silent.

There was no sound, no light or shadow, no sudden burst of powerful energy, no abrupt appearance of a living being's heartbeat—it was as if the drawing paper that Shenqi threw out was just a real piece of paper, causing no interference to the outside world.

Alice knew perfectly well that this was just her imagination.

"Anyway, although that girl is an idiot, I think the Guardian Knight created based on her character design should be quite capable. So let her go and cause trouble for the White Cult. Then we just need to keep moving forward, heading to the next location..." Shinki's voice suddenly paused, and then she took out another blank canvas and looked at Alice. "Speaking of which, where are you planning to go next? Are you going straight to that Rondor to find your two sisters? If you're willing to sincerely ask me, I can draw a door that leads directly there for you, no problem!"

“There’s no need. They might not… no, they definitely aren’t in Londor right now.” Alice looked out the car window and after a long while gave Shinki an answer: “I plan to go to the ruins of Carsas. The power of the abyss is sealed there, and now that Farron no longer exists, the Black Church will surely try to unseal the abyss there… Since they haven’t succeeded yet, it means that this matter is still underway. And within the church, the person qualified to lead this project must be someone I know… and it’s even very likely that it’s Julia or Liliane.”

"Oh, if that's what you think, then go ahead and do it." Shinki shrugged. "You're the one in charge, and I'm just following you. So you don't need to consider my opinion; just go ahead and do whatever you want."

“That’s true. And…” Alice nodded, turning to leave. She paused slightly just before stepping out of the carriage, then asked, seemingly casually, “What’s that ‘prop’ you’ve been talking about?”

“Some kind of painting tool,” Shinki answered without hesitation. “After all, my only ability is to paint the world, so it’s only natural that I need to develop its various uses. For example, better paintbrushes, more convenient paint palettes, more sturdy canvases, and so on… I really cherish it.”

She added, "It's like a mother cherishing her daughter!"

Transformation, Section Twenty-Five: Uses of Waste

The carriage continued on its way without encountering any obstruction. About fifteen minutes later, Zhao Yingkong, also traveling in a carriage, leisurely passed by the same spot—she paused briefly in the area where Shenqi had thrown the portrait. After digging deep with her mind and finding nothing, she continued to follow in the direction Alice and Shenqi were heading.

What awaited her were many battles—battles destined to happen, but which, once decided, would vanish into nothingness. She could not afford to waste her precious time on unnecessary things, and before long, her will and spirit were completely detached from this land.

After she had completely left, a portrait quickly floated out from a carriage wheel rut and, carried by a sudden breeze, soared into the sky—it easily and silently pierced through the spatial rifts hidden in the sky, within which countless enormous eyes flickered—without collision or friction, as if they were merely phantoms that could not pose any obstacle to it.

It passed through them without stopping. It passed through the clouds without pausing.

When it finally descended from the clouds, it found itself atop a fortified earthen city perched atop a mountain. With plumes of thick black smoke rising from the fortified city, it quickly found a stable and clean tower and landed safely.

This is no ordinary fortress. This fortress is filled with pain, torture, violence, and slaughter. Every hour of every day, countless beings, neither fully alive nor dead, are slaughtered here. Their blood is drained, their limbs are severed, and the severed parts are stuffed into iron cages and roasted over a fire until everything turns to ashes.

This is the fortress where mortals deal with the undead. Even though the flames representing order still burn brightly, this land is not without its pitiful remains, cursed with immortality and destined to become the undead sooner or later. They are not heroes, and the First Hearth will not be lit outside of the season of linking the fire. So they are naturally provided with a cheap and quick way to dispose of them, and that way is to turn them from the undead—if the word can be used—living, into unburnable ashes.

Many, many inhuman beings died here. The curse that bound them, tormented by countless pains, was absorbed by a majestic tree in the center of the fortress, then decomposed, transformed, and finally became a green leaf growing from a branch. And then cast a shadow.

The trees were tall, their shade vast, covering almost half the fortress under the slightly slanted sunlight. Dozens, even hundreds, of butchers and laborers moved through the shadows, carrying all sorts of grotesque tools and torture instruments. This was accompanied by countless screams and wails that would make even the most horrific inferno pale in comparison. The priests of the White Cult held aloft their codexes and hammers, praying loudly.

This is a...terrible place. And within this fortress, the only places not shaded by trees are the towers at the four corners. Even if a cold breeze under the sun whips up a clump of withered leaves and drifts towards the towers, those weak, powerless leaves are destined to be unable to penetrate the protective railings at the top of the towers.

Until a hand that had penetrated the fence caught a dead leaf.

“Patchouli, Alice, the Reincarnation Squad… what a tragic fate.” The girl’s hand, holding the withered leaf, tightened slightly, crushing the poor leaf into pieces. If any members of the Central Continent Team who had experienced the horror movie Final Destination arrived here, they would definitely be very familiar with the face that appeared here. Or rather… unforgettable.

Hinanagi Tenshi, once a reincarnator. She reached the limit of unlocking the fourth stage of her genetic lock, even surpassing that limit, but remaining stagnant in the realm of the fifth stage for a full six hundred million years. In the world of Final Destination, she was the undisputed galactic overlord, and now she has descended upon this land.

“Reincarnators… I thought they would return someday with power surpassing the fourth tier to settle scores with me. I didn’t expect we’d have to clash before that. Tsk, I’m unlucky to have such a boss who likes to boss people around. But since it’s Alice… well, there’s nothing I can do.” She slowly opened her clenched fingers, and identical leaf fragments fell from her fingertips. She raised an eyebrow slightly, assessing her physical condition, while the limitations and restrictions imposed by the world itself caused her to frown slightly.

Her physical body was constructed from painting, a mortal form that could never unlock even a single level of genetic potential. Her spiritual light was severed by the world itself, unable to descend even a sliver into it. Furthermore, much of her combat experience and magical techniques were completely unusable in this world. Even the most basic, subtle techniques would likely be difficult to utilize.

It sucks.

Although it was far from a hopeless situation for her, it was terrible.

The limitation of her power was secondary; the key issue was the boss's favoritism—clearly, Shenqi didn't intend for her to complete this task easily. And once her identity was exposed, the other party promised not to hold back.

There was nothing she could do; she was being manipulated by the boss's daughter. Although Shen Qi had many daughters who were considered "useless" or "unfit," even those were still Shen Qi's own. And Shen Qi's heart was clearly as narrow as her current childlike body… not very broad.

Well... it was bound to happen sooner or later.

She let out a soft sigh of relief, and the pair of white wings that had been fluttering behind her immediately folded away. She quickly gathered the almost depleted energy within her body, and from her memory, she found the most suitable cycle plan for her current state and put it into operation.

"With a little preparation, I should be able to recover to near the mid-fourth tier of combat strength within 24 hours. If it's urgent, I'll only have the maximum level of the third tier. Seriously... the boss's order is for me to eliminate all the members of this Reincarnation Squad, but charging in like this is a sure way to die."

She blinked, and what came into view was a dense curse permeating the entire Undead Fortress. The hatred of the undead before their demise had transformed into the surging blood within the giant trees of the fortress. And for her, a few simple steps were all it took to bring this energy into her grasp!

"...This is truly a terrible experience, but time is of the essence. Although I don't particularly like relying on external forces, but now..." She gently blew a breath, letting the shattered, withered leaves drift along the wind's path to every corner of the Undead Fortress. Several priests seemed to have spotted her brazenly standing atop the tower, raising their scepters and letting out sharp shouts.

The next moment, the earth began to pulsate. The enormous ancient tree began to tremble, and the surrounding area was in complete disarray.

She suddenly turned her head to the side, and a gust of wind swept past her ear!

..............................

3/8

Transformation, Chapter Twenty-Six: The Players

Assassination? No, it's sniping!

The emperor suddenly felt the world light up slightly in his peripheral vision, and then a new star rose at the final point where the wisp of wind landed!

That was flames, and also intense light.

A terrifying storm swept outwards from the point where the nova landed, instantly crashing against the outer walls of the fortress and tearing apart the heavy, millennia-old, indestructible stone along with the fixed magic attached to it!

The second breeze arrived in an instant.

[Was this a pre-arranged ambush? Logically, my movements shouldn't be detected by any precognitive spells or detection tools. So, did some wise person directly calculate my location? Damn it, when did the Central Plains team's strategists reach this level?! This situation can't be easily fooled!]

[My current painted body is no match for an attack of this magnitude... Damn it, I refuse to believe your sages could have factored in my power system beforehand!]

With a flap of her wings, she dodged the second gust of nova wind and swooped down from the top of the tower into the crowd in the plaza. A sword, barely discernible as a writhing stream of air, appeared in her hand, and she unleashed a horizontal slash in a semi-circle towards the surrounding White Cult priests and Undead Butchers!

The sword is named the Scarlet Sword. In the distant past, it was a sword used to manipulate energy and thus influence celestial phenomena. When she was just an ordinary celestial being, before Nami-no-Tenshi was, she used it to play with some living beings who were once her friends. Although she gained a better sword after entering the cycle of reincarnation, she kept this original power sealed within her heart!

breath.

If we consider living things as a microcosm, then the vital energy and spirit flowing within them can be seen as the heaven and earth. Heaven represents the spirit, and earth represents the vital energy. To disturb the celestial phenomena is to disturb the spirit, and the distortion of the spirit also signifies the transformation of the vital energy!

In an instant, all living things touched by her sword disintegrated into the life essence composed of water, electrolytes, and high-molecular proteins. She then absorbed all of this essence in a flash. When she swung her sword a second time, dozens of White Cult priests who hadn't been hit by the first sword turned into mist, and at that very moment, a third gust of wind swept by!

The third gust of wind struck the ground around her.

The entire plaza collapsed completely in an instant. The wind and fire that spread in all directions easily destroyed all large buildings above two meters in height on the surface of the Undead Fortress. If even solid earth and stone could be destroyed like this, let alone the mortals or undead living in the Undead Fortress. Their forms were instantly burned, evaporated, and turned into nothingness in the extreme heat. Along with them, most of the mist that the emperor had not had time to digest in the first moment also disappeared.

She wouldn't die, or even be injured. Even if she only gained a tiny amount of power equivalent to the lives of thirty people, she could maximize it to create a shield against the impact—the scorching airwaves were thwarted by her raised wings. However, after the initial impact subsided, all that remained around her was a large crater.

A huge pit, an enormous pit.

The cursed giant tree in the center of the fortress was burning fiercely at the bottom of the pit. A small part of the tree was completely carbonized, and the uncarbonized part was full of cracks and breaks. The thousand-year curse accumulated in the tree was rapidly dissipated with the collapse of the fortress, the object of the curse, and the breakage of the giant tree, the container. Her original plan to use it as a source of her own energy was naturally completely ruined.

With the conservative plan broken, only a radical strategy remained. Although her Scarlet Sword could no longer serve its intended purpose, her other power, the Stone of Desire, could still provide a remedy.

The Stone is the key to manipulating the earth.

The earth was beneath her feet, and the only thing she lacked now was the magical energy needed to control it.

"So their sages really could calculate my power system," the Emperor murmured. She whirled around, her outstretched wings forming a diamond-shaped shield that blocked an invisible sword. Immediately afterward, the collapsed rubble and debris throughout the town seemed to come alive, leaping up and rushing towards her like a mudslide, threatening to engulf her completely!

[A psychic with a third-tier genetic lock, paired with a sniper whose pure damage output is close to that of a fourth-tier user... If there were also a powerful melee fighter, I might have a bit of a headache. But now...]

"You're not good enough!"

The diamond-shaped shields on her wings transformed into transparent diamond-shaped swords, and in an instant, she created hundreds of them. With a flap of her wings, all the swords burst forth in a direction she had calculated, easily shattering the approaching mudslide along their path, and in the blink of an eye, the hundreds of swords struck a blurry figure!

The figure shattered, yet not a trace of blood oozed out. Moreover, the surrounding turbulent earth continued to move, showing no sign of ceasing its activity with the manipulator's demise.

"A fake?" The emperor raised an eyebrow, her figure shifting dozens of meters as if by teleportation. The spot where she had been standing was completely destroyed by the burst of air, and what she saw next was a shooting star falling from the sky!

'boom--!!!'

She was blasted into the ground, the immense pressure of hundreds of thousands of tons nearly crushing her pure white wings. Almost a third of her bones shattered in an instant, and scorching flames erupted from the earth towards her!

That was a volcano, an underground volcano. The attackers had used some method she didn't understand to detonate the ley lines as the meteor fell, and the eruption point was right beneath her feet!

There was no way out above, and danger lurked below.

And the energy she needed arrived just in time.

"Get up! We need stones!"

The next moment, the previously restless land was completely stilled in an instant!

Stillness signifies oppression, and oppression breeds resistance. She could clearly sense the immense power hidden deep within the earth, and now that power was in her hands.

She lowered her eyes slightly.

I see... so that's what you were planning.

The mountains that had supported the entire fortress began to shake violently. As the meteorite pressing down on the mountains shattered, a hundred-meter-high mound suddenly rose, blocking the fourth gust of wind. Countless streams of lava and sulfur then gushed from the ground. Like fountains, they hurled molten metal and underground steam into the sky, and an active volcano rose from the depths of the earth!

The fifth gust of wind struck the volcano, and a rising star, accompanied by hundreds of thousands of tons of molten lava, turned the earth crimson. However, the Empress, already deep within the volcano, remained unharmed, and this gust of wind even became an asset to her!

The ground trembled violently. The tremor instantly turned into a tremor, from which countless cracks appeared, and endless fire and heat surged from the ground, dyeing the shattered ground a bright red!

In the blink of an eye, all the soil within a radius of several kilometers was swallowed up by the surging lava—the plains turned into basins, the basins into pools of fire, and from the pools of fire, a lava giant several kilometers tall with an arm span of nearly two thousand meters slowly but actually swiftly revived! It was as majestic and towering as Surtr, the fire giant in Ragnarok, and a giant lava sword burning like the sun was then pulled from the depths of the pools of fire!