Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

A flash signifies disappearance. A flicker signifies reappearance. When she reappeared, she was already in the vicinity of the space where Alice had fired the magic cannon. And in an instant, the spinning blade cleaved that entire spatial structure into fragments!

She missed because Alice activated her teleportation at the same time as Altair's form began to change. When the blade sliced ​​through the airspace where Alice had been, she was already about twenty kilometers away on another side, uttering tangible runic language that formed twisted energy bands that wrapped around her again and again.

"A wish-granting ability, similar to the effect of regional time reversal?" Alice murmured, as numerous powerful and complex protective spells or force fields appeared around her. In an instant, all the protections she had prepared to deal with various situations were activated. She had prepared to create distance even before the opening magic cannon had any effect, and after the teleportation ended, an even larger-scale energy reaction immediately appeared within her body.

The staff of dominion appeared at her hand with her thoughts, and with the surge of energy, her hands, feet, and body shifted and transformed rapidly. In an instant, her flesh and blood transformed into a red Satanic dragon, and from the dragon's seven heads spewed scorching sulfurous fire!

'boom--!!!'

The sulfurous fire, imbued with concepts of 'hell' and 'destruction,' instantly engulfed the airspace spanning over thirty kilometers. The burning clouds, in a mere femtosecond, coalesced into a mass of plasma and plummeted towards the ground. However, before reaching the earth, they were reduced back to the initial hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen of the atmosphere. The vast amount of dissipated energy was gathered together, and from this immense accumulation, a colossal tidal wave of sabers emerged!

Alice didn't know how much Altair loved sabers, nor did she care to. What she was certain of was that each of these sabers possessed unimaginable power. And there were at least ten million of them.

Ten million knives—it sounds like a lot, and it really is. As they surged toward the red dragon that Alice had transformed into, they formed a dazzling river of iron beneath the sky. The twenty-kilometer distance passed in an instant, and when they touched the conceptual shell of the red dragon, a series of massive explosions erupted from the point of contact.

It was... an explosion as if a star had been constructed. Unpredictable light, heat, wind, destruction, and annihilation expanded rapidly in all directions. The atmosphere was broken down and then reconstructed; the land was melted and then rebuilt. Until the hills and mountains below the battle zone were transformed into mirror-like crystals, until only the massive electrical discharges from shattered molecules remained in the atmosphere. This destructive tidal wave did not stop its outward expansion; hundreds of kilometers of land were instantly reduced to scorched earth, and then, as it spread further and further afield—

Everything returned to its original state.

The mirror-like surface melted, returning to earth. Lush grass and shrubs sprouted from the earth, giving rise to small animals like rabbits and pheasants, and the chirping of insects. The atmospheric discharge ceased; the escaped electrons returned to their previous positions, coalescing with the scattered molecules to form elemental nitrogen or oxygen. The sounds and light generated in the explosion and impact also bounced back hundreds of kilometers away, returning to the mass of matter or energy that had released them.

The entire battlefield was restored to its original state when Alice and Altair first clashed. Animals that had died in their battle were reconstructed, and corrupted souls were reassembled and reinserted into bodies identical to their old ones. The atmospheric information and energy distribution, which had been disrupted by the energy impact, were also reset to their initial state. Not a single substance escaped from this battlefield, nor did any electrical or magnetic signal leave this region.

Alice stood in her original spot, and Altair returned to his original place as well. The only difference from the initial situation was that Alice was now holding the Staff of Domination, while Altair was still holding the PPSh-45, with rotating blade wheels swirling around his sides.

"Is this all you're relying on?" Alice glanced around, confirming that all the signals she had sent towards the Grand Library or the Tower of Babel world had been intercepted within this small airspace of several hundred kilometers. She hadn't been able to transmit any information, nor had she received any feedback. All sounds of battle within this area were completely contained, with not a single trace leaking out.

Alice clenched her fist. She could sense that the spatial structure of this area was quite stable. While she could certainly break it, she wasn't sure she could escape successfully or even simply send messages outwards during its self-repair period. Clearly, the simplest and most feasible way to leave was to defeat or even kill Altair, but that required Altair to be willing to confront Alice head-on, not to reset the fight halfway through!

"The power of the Prayer System, using the inexhaustible energy of the Star Soul to constantly repair and rebuild this arena you created, is it to keep me here?" Alice's lips curled into a smile that didn't quite resemble a smile. "That's hardly a good idea. Your new allies can't beat my teammates outside. And even if I can't send out my signal, they'll quickly notice something's wrong. And by then, your fate won't be so pleasant."

“No need for you to worry about it.” Altair simply looked at her quietly, his square eyes revealing no emotion. “My task now is to keep you here. The rest will be handled by my other allies. I have no mortal grudge against you, so I won’t fight you to the death, and you shouldn’t expect to get any more information from me. However, I think you probably don’t have the patience to keep wasting time with me here. So feel free to start the second round.”

"And then the third round?" Alice narrowed her eyes slightly.

“Yes, then the fourth, the fifth, until the ten thousandth round,” Altair replied calmly. “But you know it’s futile. Because you know very well what I am. I am the Star Soul, the constellation Aquila, Altair of Altair. The energy I’ve accumulated can keep this arena here until this cycle of reincarnation ends. But, but…”

She tilted her head slightly and glanced at Alice.

“My new ally is indeed no match for that muscle gorilla in your team. But the problem is, your team is now split into two. Picking on the weak is always an easier way to get to the destination. Especially when that weakling is likely preoccupied with its own problems.”

Alice remained silent. She closed her eyes, then slowly opened them. Within her azure eyes, a black, dead river seemed to surge and churn. That was the River Styx, the bubble world within her, an apocalypse she had rewritten, one that could be freely released without the support of external information.

"You're really asking for it."

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

Go write the second section...

Chapter 89 - Coveting [6/19]

Within the world of bubbles, the deep ocean sings aloud. From the rocks, from the water droplets, from every living or dead fish, from the second son of God who dwells eternally in the deep sea, the hymn of the Styx resounds in all directions.

In the beginning of the world, there existed the River Styx, beneath which dwell darkness and curses.

The primordial goddess came to the source of the River Styx and used her fingers to divide the nine realms of the underworld.

The first level is called the Border Prison, where anyone seeking help will have their voice denied.

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

Nine layers of black water ripples appeared around Alice, and within the outermost layer, a dense network of buildings unfolded like a sprawling fortress. Within it were the forms of every wall, fortress, defensive formation, and stronghold she knew from ancient times to the present. Successful, failed, fallen, glorious—from the Wall to Constantinople, from Thermopylae to the Maginot Line, all the famous defensive works Alice knew were displayed here. They blocked Alice's outer perimeter, refusing any interference from the outside.

Altair once again pulled PPSh with her saber, but this time the tangible waves projected outward from her did not restore Alice's power when they passed around her. Her power was in vain, and Alice seized the opportunity to teleport to her side, raising her scepter high and then swinging it down, shattering half of the forty sabers Altair used to defend herself from the attack.

The 'Summary of All Things' technique, which could eliminate changes in things and return them to their previous state, has lost its effectiveness.

"Nullify!? Rejected?" Altair retreated in shock, summoning more sabers. Some she used to defend herself, while others she used to throw at Alice to slow her down—the sabers she threw were easily parried by Alice, and then more sabers surged towards her.

She knew nothing of swordsmanship, yet every strike she made was a perfect solution within a mathematical model. Each sword attacked Alice from the most unbelievable angles with the most bizarre and complex forces. Some were deflected by the tin staff she controlled, while others shattered upon impact with the 'Border Prison'.

Boring, but effective. The knives couldn't harm Alice, but they did hinder her progress.

“Even so, you can’t escape this arena before my almost inexhaustible energy runs out. You’re in a hurry, but I’m not.” Altair snorted, time and space swaying at her fingertips. She pulled Alice towards her, and the unfolding spatial axis banished Alice to the outermost part of the arena.

"A futile struggle." Alice's form appeared at the boundary, then disappeared, and when she reappeared, she was once again close to Altair!

"All Things in the Universe - Factor Imitation!" A black water pattern, identical to Alice's 'Border Prison,' appeared within the blade wheel surrounding Altair. However, it immediately shattered upon impact with Alice's 'Border Prison.' Her 'Border Prison' was less a replica and more an empty shell. And as Altair's counterattack failed, Alice closed in even closer, and as the Staff of Control swung down again, two-thirds of the blade wheel protecting her shattered.

“As expected, you’re not very good at fighting.” Alice reached out and crushed the blade wheel that was once again used to obstruct her, while looking at Altair, who had once again distanced himself from her. “Rather than trying to keep me here, you simply don’t have any other way of dealing with me besides keeping me occupied—if there weren’t too many lies in the story you used to convince me, you’ve probably never fought an enemy on your own level before.”

"No, you didn't lie back then. Because if you had lied back then, there would have been no battle here at all. Is it because that story is true that you chose the Celestial Team? It seems you're not satisfied with the suggestion that Shimazaki Setsuna escape the cycle of reincarnation, and the Celestial Team can provide a better solution."

"Let me guess what it is? The Investiture of the Gods?"

Alice's response was a barrage of daggers aimed directly at her.

The second layer of water ripples around her then revealed its concrete form. It was a perpetually raging storm circle, where all the famous souls who died for love took on physical form. Their longing formed an endless, biting wind that rapidly spread outwards the moment it manifested.

The second level is called the Prison of Love; those who are obsessed with love will vanish like the wind here.

All forces stirred by love will be severely weakened under this specialized and targeted storm. For the core power that constitutes this realm of darkness is the love hidden within Alice's heart. And love is exclusive.

The oncoming flashes of blades shattered in the storm. Their speed and precision remained unchanged, but their power was reduced to less than a tenth of its original strength—the element that sustained Altair's actions was her love for her destined one, and at least here, her love could not rival Alice's.

The storm circle swept past her, filling the entire arena without leaving a single gap.

This time, when Alice teleported back to her side, the forty sabers that had been reconstructed to protect her were once again shattered by the Staff of Domination, leaving only a quarter intact.

A quarter, a dangerous number.

Perhaps after a few more strikes, the blade wheel surrounding Altair would be completely destroyed in a single blow. What that would mean, no one but the two combatants knew.

The battle continues.

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

"Alter won't last long; she'll die there."

It was still that secluded chamber, but this time only three people remained around the round table. The physical projection marking the battle zone between Alice and Altair still floated above the round table, and Adam had just reached his conclusion.

"Lady Margot Lloyd won't be held back for long by a Star Soul who is full of energy but lacks combat experience and whose actual ability is only close to the limit of the fourth level. Altair has never encountered a sufficiently powerful enemy before coming to this world. Perhaps she has the courage to fight to the death, but without having fought against extraordinary beings, she definitely doesn't have any trump cards to use in a desperate fight. If she were determined to escape, she might still have a chance to survive, but she won't run away. She will stay there until the very last moment."

"Foolish love," Song Tian snorted softly.

“That’s why we’re able to have her as an assistant.” Adam glanced at Song Tian, ​​then looked at the silent Luo Yinglong. “Besides, we didn’t deceive her; it’s a mutually beneficial arrangement. She paid her price, and we will naturally give back accordingly. It’s a reasonable transaction, and there’s no need to change it.”

“I know.” Luo Yinglong took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled. “Fair trade, no cheating the young or old. I won’t let my morals hinder the team’s plans. But Adam, if she doesn’t die in this battle, then I will go and rescue her after I complete my mission.”

"Don't worry, there will be a chance." Adam adjusted the projection in the center of the round table, revealing the nine fallen stars in the sky. His gaze then shifted, turning to the tenth turbulent star.

Zheng Zha and his companions' hunt for the gods is two-thirds complete. Nine of the fourteen gods, their saints, have already been slain and become nourishment for the Central Continent Team's reincarnators. As Zheng Zha's mastery of the Ring deepens, their hunting speed increases. It's likely that before long, the power of the tenth god will be devoured, leaving only a glimmer of light imprisoned at the edge of the world.

Powerful, stable, intelligent, and virtually flawless. Yet, these ten beams of spiritual light lack both physical bodies and divine protection, and have no way to escape from the edge of the world!

Adam gripped the nameless ancient scroll tightly in his hand. The dark light in his eyes was as deep as an unyielding abyss.

"We're just a little bit away from our plan."

Chapter Ninety: Closing the Net - Part One

Inside the grand library, purplish-blue crystals blanketed the floor. Two streaks of light, one black and one purple, collided back and forth within the cramped hall, which was less than a thousand square meters in size. With each contact, energy equivalent to the detonation of a ballistic missile shot outward from the point of impact. All of this generated energy was absorbed by the towering crystals before it could materialize into a shockwave that would destroy the surrounding environment. Then, more crystals began to grow from the floor, walls, and ceiling.

This is the Great Library, the Witch's Great Library. It is Patchouli's stronghold, her domain, her reliance, her mage tower—within her tower, she can fully unleash the combat power of someone who has unlocked the fourth stage of her genetic lock, equivalent to the Microscopic Realm. After all, she had long ago reached the limit of the third stage, and the so-called unlocking of the third stage of the genetic lock actually refers to some abilities reaching the fourth stage, but it's just that she is a reincarnator whose life level has not yet fully advanced.

Patchouli and Melkor's battle had lasted for three minutes. In those three minutes, the witch had gained a near-absolute advantage by using preemptive measures and the pressure from the mage tower's position. However, her only opponent was not without trump cards or the ability to fight back. Life reconstruction, energy absorption, consciousness interference—Melkor had used seventeen or eighteen powerful or bizarre abilities in those three minutes, some for survival and some to break the deadlock. Although its tricks had not achieved the expected effect, they had still allowed it to hold out until this moment three minutes later.

The black and purple light collided with each other 15,400 times inside the Grand Library.

Before the 15,401st battle, the two sides stopped on opposite sides of the library.

Melkor's black armor was riddled with cracks, his crown shattered, thick, dark smoke billowing from the gaping wound. His dark warhammer, Grund, was also badly damaged; a massive fissure that nearly cleaved the hammer in two brought this once-renowned weapon to the brink of destruction. Black flames flickered and danced around it, occasionally bursting forth with unstable sparks.

It's going to die.

Even if it were still alive, it wouldn't last much longer—its gamble of risking everything to infiltrate the Great Library and launch a desperate attack was a gamble with its lifeline. However, its scheme was exposed, and its most unexpected first strike was thwarted by the lesser demon that served as its vessel, preventing it from achieving its full potential. Therefore, its fate was already sealed.

After all, Patchouli, the witch currently floating on the other side of the library, surrounded by the Seven Luminaries Crystal, didn't even have a single tear in her clothes. Her energy, mental strength, and wisdom hadn't suffered any substantial loss in the three minutes of combat. In fact, a large part of the reason this battle had lasted until now was due to Patchouli herself.

“I never imagined I would be defeated by a mortal.” A low murmur, like the rumble of the earth, emanated from beneath Morgoth Boggil’s crown. “I thought my final fate would be on the battlefield of the Doomsday War, that I would be defeated by the Valar, or Manwë, or Aulë. Perhaps I would even defeat them all and then face Ilúvatar in a final, one-on-one duel. But now it seems I will not live to see that day.”

"I am not a mortal." Patchouli looked at it quietly, the seven-star crystals around her slowly rotating. "I may be human, but I am more of a witch among humans. And I will soon step on your remains to reach a higher level. So you have no need to feel sorry for your fate."

“Indeed, being killed by a newly born god is better than being killed by a bunch of mortal heroes who are like ants.” Melkor’s voice had multiple tones, making it difficult to tell whether it was male or female, old or young, or simply a collection of electronic voices. “But I don’t want to die like this. I want to continue living, to live to the very end, to live to the end of this world. And I happen to have the bargaining chip to obtain this compensation.”

It raised one hand, palm up. The little demons that had been clinging to it like shadows had been stripped away during the previous battle and sealed into a black sphere floating in its palm. The two candles beneath its crown flickered violently, emitting a radiance even more intense than during the earlier battle.

“Let’s make a deal, witch. I have leverage, and it’s precisely because of this thing—or rather, this inferior soul—that you’ve been dragging this out with me until now. I know you mortals; you always invest too much attention in things you’ve known for a long time. It’s important to you, and you want to keep it from me, while I want to leave this battlefield safely—my captured spiritual light and divine power can be the price for invading your territory. And I think we can reach this deal.”

“I dare not devour the spiritual light of an immortal god.” Patchouli gazed at it silently.

“I can erase the mark in the light of the soul, turning it into nothingness. Just like Sauron.”

“That’s impossible,” Patchouli replied. “The nature of a personalized spiritual light cannot be changed unless it is altered before it takes shape.”

"Never underestimate the power of a god, witch."

Patchouli kept her mouth shut and simply watched it quietly. The black flames burning around Melkor, resembling armor, dimmed slightly with the passage of time—she didn't trust it, and it knew it perfectly well.

"It seems we can't reach an agreement."

"We couldn't reach an agreement."

"I will destroy this inferior soul."

"Then your life will end in five seconds."

"...You outsiders, sooner or later you will be devoured by your own greed, leaving not even bones behind." The black flames dimmed further, now clinging to the Dark Lord's desperate body like a thin film of light. The flames on some of the cracked armor subsided, and the cracks widened further, causing several fingernail-sized fragments of armor to detach from the main body, fall, and crumble into dust.

Clearly, Melkor understood her meaning. The breakdown in negotiations wasn't due to a lack of willingness to talk, but rather because the gains weren't substantial enough. Although Melkor had fallen from its transcendental status due to repeated traumas, its vision, perception, and intuition remained intact. It could immediately discern that the witch before it intended to use its shattered spiritual light as a catalyst to embark on a path to godhood that only mortals could traverse. And without achieving this most fundamental, basic goal, Patchouli had no chance of retreating.

"Witch, did you foresee my arrival?" The black flames on Melkor's body had completely dimmed, and now it looked like a charred wreck of armor.

Patchouli's lips curled up slightly.

"It's not just your arrival; I've even learned the identity of your collaborator. I know that your collaborator has other collaborators as well. I even know that the team called the Celestial Team will soon be sending a portion of its fighting force to attack this area. So you can abandon your plan to stall for time and then coordinate an attack from within."

The seven celestial crystals surrounding her changed their trajectory, switching from parallel movement to a mode simulating the structure of the solar system. The sun floated in her hand, with Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn unfolding into concentric circles. A special gap appeared between Venus and Mars, representing the moon's crystal, which simultaneously began its revolution and rotation within that gap's orbit.

Milko wouldn't know that an Earth was needed between Venus and Mars. But from a mystical perspective, it could discern that another new, crucial crystallization was required on that orbit. It glimpsed Patchouli's extraordinary path from this working star chart, and in knowing this mystery, it also realized that it had no way out.

“I am a witch, a witch among information magicians. My path of specialization is ‘Stars’. Although I have changed the foundation for ascension to the extraordinary, replacing pure information magic with a new system based on crystal magic, the way I ascend and devour the light of your mind that I use as a catalyst still operates by simulating star trails.”

“You should be able to see that my star system is still missing a crucial star. In the past, I didn’t have a good option to fill this gap. But after you parasitized the little devil, I gained an excellent alternative. Ah… you guessed it, I deliberately let you in, and deliberately sent my companion away—or rather, helped her leave from here. And although this is somewhat unfair to the little devil, it is indeed the optimal solution.”