Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

Time flowed slowly, yet her body operated freely within this realm. Even with her less-than-superior biological and physics-based knowledge, she knew her physical strength was now a hundred times greater than usual. Breaking the speed of sound several times over, tearing apart steel and rock with her fists and feet was effortless. And if she were to further master magic and spellcasting, her combat power would likely increase dozens of times, enough to easily defeat most Servants in the Singularity.

She knew this was the shallow understanding of mortals, the pointless speculation of the weak who did not understand divine power about 'strength'. The power of the ancient gods was far more than this, and the evidence was already presented at the very top of her retina!

—Power Unleashed: 1%

The next moment, a barrage of messages descended from the void, surging towards her like a tidal wave!

Section 5: Wisdom and Mission

Those messages wove together, connecting into a coherent whole, transforming into a massive aggregate in her mind. Then, a complex wave of information that she could comprehend clearly appeared in her consciousness.

—Does it need guidance?

—Doesn't it need guidance?

Complementing these two questions is a series of complex and intricate explanations. A vast amount of data, equivalent to the number of stars in the sky, is compiled into a table of contents, succinctly summarized, and then clearly presented in a way that the person asking the questions can understand.

Two paths seemed to appear before Flora. One path led her alongside the gods, wielding a thunderbolt spear and a blazing greatsword, cutting through the wilderness, with countless believers worshipping and singing after her. The shadows of darkness receded in fear, and the weak enemies under the light were utterly vulnerable. She could clearly see the structure of the path and its end, and although the place she would ultimately reach was hidden behind an invisible barrier, at least until then, all obstacles before her would be transformed into a smooth road by her will.

On the other path, she walks alone. Darkness will not harm her, but it will not obey her commands either. Light can empower her, but her enemies will not be diminished by its brilliance. She will fight the gods alone, against the unknown forces hidden behind them, while thunder and fire will still accompany her, but dimmed and weak—she cannot see the end, nor the path, but because of this, she can walk the path she has chosen according to her own will.

Two paths lie ahead. One is to accept the guidance of the Ancient Gods, but the Ancient Gods will only point out the path He deems correct, not the path Flora ultimately needs. With divine assistance, the enemies in this singularity—those gods who have also descended to earth and possess equally powerful combat abilities—will at most be on par with her. And since she was able to handle the previous singularities with her mortal body, dealing with this last one after receiving divine power shouldn't be too difficult.

Choosing this path presents her with only one problem: whether the outcome indicated by the ancient god 'Mangotlund' is what she needs. She cannot be certain whether the end of that glorious path is an ideal destination or a precipice. Furthermore, she is even less certain that she will be able to remain rational at that moment and find the right path before error occurs.

It's easy to imagine: if a defenseless office worker is walking along a wide, lonely road, flanked by dense primeval forests filled with strange and eerie noises, what are the chances that when a town appears at the end of the road, he will not enter the town but instead mistake it for a haunted village and venture into the jungle to try and find his way back to civilized society using his sense of direction?

The conclusion is obvious, and that is the only thing Flora needs to consider.

The second path is much simpler: abandon divine guidance, possess divine power but lacking divine wisdom, and let her carefully explore her own destiny. And based on this, when this once-in-a-lifetime trial ends, the final outcome will ultimately depend entirely on Flora's own choice.

One is easy, the other is difficult, and the choice is actually quite obvious.

If I were an ordinary transmigrator, arriving aimlessly and living freely, I would definitely choose the second path. Because no one likes to be controlled, influenced, interfered with, or 'guided,' even if that 'guidance' comes from parents, teachers, or friends. People always prefer the option that allows them more freedom when given a choice.

But I'm different from everyone else.

Flora lowered her eyes, contemplating her decision in this tiny, almost time-stopping moment. She still remembered why she had made a pact with the ancient god and why she had descended to this continent.

My goal is to restore humanity, purely to restore humanity; nothing else matters. I disregard all sacrifices and costs, the survival of myself and others. My task is simply to restore it, purely to restore it. And to do this, the Holy Grail, anchored to the seven singularities, must be completely uprooted and destroyed, and the driving force behind the incineration of humanity, along with the method of incineration, must be utterly destroyed. Nothing else matters.

This is my responsibility, the responsibility I chose for myself. Regardless of how others perceive or react, I will not deviate from my decision. Therefore, everything that can be utilized will be put to use, so…

"Is this also part of your test?" she whispered, looking up at the sky in the stagnant, gray space-time.

“Correct, correct.” The flame-shaped bird perched on her shoulder suddenly spoke in human language. “What I seek is the connection and order between humans and gods. And your choice at this moment is also part of that exploration. Since you have made a covenant with me, as the vessel of my power, as the apostle who descended to earth, then every exchange between you as a human and me as a god will have meaning. Before the covenant reaches its end and the final conclusion is reached, every word between you and me will become an important reference.”

“Then I accept,” Flora said calmly. “I accept your wisdom, I accept your guidance. As long as… no, there is no as long as.”

“Very good, then the second contract is complete.” The flame-shaped bird flapped its wings, powerful runes surrounding it, and Flora quietly appeared. A massive document, existing in a state between existence and non-existence, was swiftly constructed and then signed with two names whose origins were difficult to discern. Then, the information aggregate that had formed in her sea of ​​consciousness established a connection with her!

—"If so, you will gain the wisdom of God."

Then, a part of the world's reality was revealed to the girl.

Her brain boiled, then cooled, and the reconstructed structure was far superior to anything before. Countless genetic research findings flooded her mind. Almost instantly, she understood how room-temperature molecular fusion engines were made and the engineering methods for implanting them into cells to replace mitochondria. She comprehended the performance of trillions of different defensive cortical structures against external or internal attacks such as physical attacks, radiation, and shockwaves, and identified the optimal combination. Then, energy pipelines replaced the vascular network and optimized it into a structural system best suited to her human form!

There is a vast difference between divine wisdom and human cognition. According to the outline Flora obtained in her mind, this level of modification was merely an early-generation technology used to bridge the gap between the past and the future! She could even clearly 'see' her eyeball dissolve into a mass of life essence filled with organic solutions and metal salts. Based on this, it differentiated into a vast number of semi-automatic molecular mechanisms, which, under her will, were constructed into different specifications of endoscope combinations capable of handling various situations, and on this basis, transformed into even more complex forms.

God's power lies in knowing what is, and God's wisdom lies in knowing why it is. And when she understood this, the concept of 'God truly is superior to man' first surfaced deep within her. And once she discarded this thought, which could potentially influence her future decisions, her body, under the semi-control of her own will, reached the final stage of the initial transformation!

She now knew that her punch could travel at fifteen times the speed of sound, releasing a total impact force of 759,400 tons and 12 kilograms and 777 grams. Not a gram more, not a gram less, because the operational status and wear and tear of every component and semi-automatic molecular mechanism involved in this limb-making process were clearly presented in her perception.

She now knows that she can manipulate lightning and fire within a ten-kilometer radius. The principle behind this is that the resonance mechanism built by her super-genetic engineering can resonate with the ether and corresponding information within a ten-kilometer radius of the current atmosphere. This method of information interference with matter was crudely named 'information magic' by the ancient god, and more than a hundred different ways of using it appear in her mind every second.

She was even able to directly observe the 'True Aether' from this ancient divine age using optical methods, capture it with automated molecular mechanisms, and in a very short time, discover that its outer shell was actually a quantum aggregate that could be influenced by specific ways of thinking. Further research may not be possible at present, but presumably, as her 'divine wisdom' deepens, she will be able to touch upon the essence of the 'True Aether'.

If she could return to the modern world now, even with her wisdom fading, she would be confident of becoming one of the world's top magicians, thanks to the few remaining memories in her mind. The so-called fading of mystery or the depletion of the Great Source is a complete joke in the face of this undeniable knowledge and the power that knowledge represents.

but……

Going back would mean nothing to me.

She turned her head, her attention focused on the small, flame-colored bird beside her. It wasn't the Vermilion Bird, nor the Phoenix, nor the Golden Crow, nor the Bifang—not any of the mythical beasts she knew. And she knew, she understood, why.

"Like the raven on Odin's shoulder, the dove beside Yahweh. Do you share similar attributes with them?"

She gazed at the flame-shaped bird, whose eyes silently lost their intelligence. It perched on her shoulder, making a cooing sound—a mixture of pigeon and human speech—it seemed weary, and with a tilt of its head, it drifted off to sleep. Yet, in Flora's vision, this bird-like creature was nothing short of a manifestation of pure consciousness!

The wisdom of the gods, or rather the ancient god 'Mangortlund', is essentially computational power. This bird, somewhat resembling a pigeon, is an amalgamation of that computational power, like a supercomputer, yet existing in a state between existence and non-existence. The immense computational power and magical knowledge that propelled its transformation earlier originated from this. In other words, this creature is something akin to an external brain.

Whether it represented an extension of the ancient god's will, or even simply a manifestation of His vision, Flora didn't know, nor did she bother to guess. After all, they were adults; they knew when to play dumb and when to compromise. Since the other party acted as if it were just a bird, she would simply treat it as an ordinary flamebird.

She snapped out of her near-time-stopping state of intense thought and looked back. In the mural depicting the ancient gods on the towering wall, a flame-shaped bird of the same size as the bird perched on her shoulder appeared. She herself couldn't pinpoint when this bird had appeared on the mural. Or perhaps...

...When did the painting appear behind me?

Ah, that's not important... because it's not the point and it won't foreshadow anything. So her gaze shifted again, until then, the sounds of worship and prayer from the priests in the temple and the believers outside the temple echoed in her ears.

—'God, please save us!'

'God, please do not take your anger upon us.'

—'God, please let all the monsters outside die!'

—God, please protect this city.

—'God…'

Numerous voices, numerous prayers, young and old, men and women, the words of believers swirling in Flora's mind, propelling her thoughts like an invisible force. It seemed like a great many, yet when she used her divine wisdom, she discovered the total number of prayers was a mere two thousand four hundred and thirty-five. This number encompassed all the inhabitants of Imanitic, and of those who were truly devout…or rather, focused in prayer, less than a tenth.

One-tenth, which is just over two hundred. In modern times, what can two hundred people do? What meaning do two hundred people's prayers have?

—It's useless, because it's far too insignificant compared to a total of seven or eight billion. Even if two hundred people were organized into a cult and all of them were fanatical, it wouldn't be of much use. But what would happen if such a number were replaced by inhabitants of the Age of Gods, if those fragile mortals were replaced by inhabitants of the Age of Gods whose pure strength and speed could rival that of a Tyrannosaurus Rex?

The answer is—'no change'.

Flora gently extended her hand, and an invisible spiritual wave appeared in her palm. This was the power of psychic energy enough to crush a stone pillar that could be embraced, the devout prayer of more than two hundred inhabitants of the Age of Gods, equivalent to two hundred thousand mortals in later generations. But for Flora at this moment... it was of no use.

She could indeed be strengthened by absorbing this psychic energy, but the boost it provided was less than that from a newly constructed automated molecular mechanism. Furthermore, she needed to fulfill the wishes of her followers to avoid harming herself while absorbing it; otherwise, simply purifying the impurities in the prayers would cost her several times the benefit.

She couldn't help but think of a long-standing magician's proverb.

'There are no gods in this world, only life forms that are powerful enough. Therefore, there is no need for reverence.'

She used to think these were words from wise men encouraging the latter to strive for improvement, while also a denial and belittling of the church's deities. But now, she had a different interpretation.

This is not advice, but a warning.

If gods truly exist, then mortals can obtain peace simply by offering prayers. However, if gods do not exist, and only powerful, super-beings exist, then mortals are meaningless to these god-like beings.

Meaningless, it's nothing but ants and dust. We don't need reverence because reverence can't bring any help.

The question Mangtlund had asked her when she left resurfaced in her mind. But her thoughts immediately drifted away.

She knew she had to waste some time on something.

Section 6 Sumerian Greetings

Flora lowered her eyes, re-examining her purpose for being here.

[The aim is to restore humanity, which was burned away by the seven singularities, and the divine power and sanity bestowed upon me by the ancient god 'Mangoldrend' are crucial aids. Considering that the free Servants in the first six singularities all harbored hostility towards me, the deity in this seventh singularity might very well take similar measures.]

Therefore, divine power and sanity must be preserved. That is to say, at least until human reason is restored, I must fulfill the covenant I made with the ancient god 'Mangolend'. According to Him, He doesn't intend to interfere with my actions, but rather to gain some benefit through observing me. Taking this statement as true, I can also assume that He will take further action after fulfilling the covenant. And His actions at that time will be related to my current choices.

Based on the above premises, I must ensure that before the agreement is fulfilled, He will not be interested in world-destroying measures such as the burning of humanity, like the Magic King—He is the Old Order, a true god who should not have appeared in this era or even in the future. His choice of me as his vessel clearly indicates that He is focusing His attention on the burning of humanity. And the covenant He made with me further confirms this.

Then I must help Him resolve His confusion. I must prove to Him the value of humanity...

The girl sighed softly.

This is a very simple logic. Now that she has inherited divine power and consciousness, she can endlessly expand her scale with her existing power, destroy the spiritual veins of this continent, and destroy the civilization here. In any case, as long as Mesopotamia still exists and the Holy Grail is removed, the effect of this point in time as a singularity will also be lost. This is not the Americas in the Fifth Singularity. Forcibly destroying the continent and severing the clear destiny of the Americas will inevitably bring backlash. Because the Sumerians were destined to perish, and as long as she ensures that this continent continues to exist, everything can be justified!

She could do that, but divine power, if it can be granted, can certainly be taken back. And now, with the ancient god 'Mangoldlund' already showing interest in the burning of humanity, if she were to restore humanity just as it was burned, and then Mangoldlund, as the old order, were to freeze, bleach, braise, and deep-fry humanity... wouldn't everything she'd done be a complete waste of time? Although her goal from the beginning was to restore humanity, and only to restore humanity, if it's a half-finished project that breaks down immediately after being repaired, even she doesn't believe she's proven her abilities through this!

My magical path is to restore humanity's order, to restore, and only restore. And the definition of 'restoration' is that the institution of humanity can function again without any imminent, major crisis within my observational and cognitive scope. After all, everything has its day of decay. If humanity continues for a hundred or a thousand years after me before collapsing again, that's just normal wear and tear, nothing to do with me. Heroes from other eras will naturally come to repair it. Until then, I must diligently do the work at hand.

However... tsk, never mind.

Having reached her conclusion, she rubbed her temples, which were burning from overthinking. Although she had convinced herself, a slight unease, a sense of disharmony, lingered within her. It was as if the concept of 'proving humanity's worth to God' hadn't originally been particularly important to her, but had been forcibly elevated by some external force.

She had her doubts, but knew that doubts wouldn't do much good. As more complex thoughts began to occupy her mind, she set those distractions aside and turned her attention to the areas she should be focusing on.

On its shoulder, the Flamebird, with its head tilted to one side, emitted low, humming chirps.

So she walked out of the temple amidst the worship of the priests and witches, and stopped on the high platform at the temple entrance, raising one hand.

The entire city fell silent in an instant.

This is a new singularity; my understanding of it is limited to Mesopotamia in the 27th century BC, where gods have descended. Therefore, the two top priorities are constructing fortifications and confirming intelligence. Mangotrend's request can be included in this process and completed. So…

Information magic—the invisible messenger.

A flock of pigeons spread out in the sky atop the city-state, following Flora's movements. They were a composite spell created by incorporating energy from concepts such as 'birds,' 'messengers,' and 'reconnaissance.' Upon completion of the spell, they easily merged with the wind, sunlight, and even heat in the sky, rapidly dispersing in all directions.

Intelligence is crucial, and she must control it immediately—these pigeons will gather information about the 'Holy Grail,' 'Servants,' 'Gods,' and other related matters in this land and report back instantly. This vital intelligence will be the foundation of her actions.

The commotion when the god descended was immense, though it was Mangotlund, not me, who made the move. Now, having inherited Mangotlund's power and wisdom, it's natural for people or gods of this era to regard me as Him. I imagine soon gods or their servants will come to test me. Therefore, I don't need to be overly restrained, but I must still be prepared.

"As you wish, I will save you and protect your city-state." She turned her gaze to the kneeling, praying inhabitants of the city-state. These people could not see her casting spells, but they could guess what she 'done' through the perception of divine beings. As a result, these inhabitants of the divine age offered more faith, but also uncontrollably developed more panic.

“But before that, I want to see an Imanitic that can be of use to me.”

"God, what should we do?" the priests asked.

“Select warriors and establish institutions. Inventory the resources and population of the city-state and categorize them clearly. Organize the land outside the city-state and formulate suitable expansion plans and transportation routes—these tasks are simple, so I entrust them to you. The deadline is three days, and this is also my assessment of your abilities.”

"But what about the magical beasts outside the city?"

"There are no more magical beasts within 30 kilometers outside the city (the system automatically converts weights and measures). Any magical beasts that attempt to invade within three days will also be eliminated by me. If you still have any doubts..."

Information Spells - Autonomous Ball Lightning Guardian

Several ball lightning bolts, each about a meter in radius, appeared out of thin air and, amidst the gasps of the gods, were imbued with concepts related to 'Imanitec' and 'demonic creatures,' and equipped with a rudimentary identification system. These ball lightning bolts would then roam the city's perimeter, repelling anything associated with the city-state of 'Imanitec' and attracting demonic beasts. This was sufficient to deal with the demonic beasts she had gleaned from her observations.

Humans always have their uses, and since they've accepted protection, they should pay the price. And since a mere two thousand people aren't enough, their numbers will be expanded. Since their bodies are too weak, even for magical beasts, their physiques will be strengthened later. As for whether to impart technology beyond this era to them, that depends on subsequent intelligence gathering. Until then, these guys need to be kept busy.

“My name is Mangotlund, I am the Old Order, and the realm I rule is light and darkness, thunder and fire.”

"These guardians formed from lightning and fire will patrol the city-state for the next three days, punishing any disrespectful behavior. You can all go about your business with peace of mind."

Her voice echoed throughout the city, and as the ball lightning flew in all directions, she clearly felt the number of believers who could provide spiritual power during the prayers rise from just over two hundred to six or seven hundred. And when she subconsciously raised an eyebrow, causing a bolt of lightning to burst from the ball of lightning and tear a boulder to pieces in full view of everyone, that number rose to nearly a thousand!

The nearly one thousand temporary followers of the gods were neither fanatical nor particularly devout, but they still constituted a considerable force. Flora calculated that the sheer volume of prayers gathered in just this one minute was enough to far surpass the combat power of a fully prepared rank of magician. And with a little more effort, they might even be able to contend with and defeat a rank of magician.

Are words far inferior to actions? Although it's ancient times, there's not much difference between them and modern mortals who won't act until they see results. Is it because they haven't yet left behind the divine age where humans and gods coexist, thus lacking fear of the gods? Or is this simply human nature?

[Tsk, what am I thinking? It's like I'm not an ordinary person.]