Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

So it continued forward.

It crossed the city gate and found that where the gate should have been was now just a huge circular gap, and the broken area was perfectly smooth.

It traversed the long street, the empty fortress filled with broken fragments and carbonized structures, occasionally catching glimpses of what appeared to be remnants of flesh and blood. However, as it approached, it discovered that these limbs were being rapidly devoured by some kind of unseen, tiny insect.

It encountered no demons other than itself, saw no of its own kind, or any of the hellish creatures it often saw. The only things it could touch were the hot winds blowing through the ruins of the fortress and the writhing shadows beneath the rubble. And nothing else.

There was no sound, no wailing. As it passed the entrances of some alleyways, it would occasionally glimpse enormous, giant shadows deep within the alleyways. But upon closer inspection, it ultimately found nothing.

It seemed as if a huge shape swept across the sky; it might have been a mountain, but when it looked up, all it could see was emptiness.

It saw nothing, couldn't see anything.

So it continued forward, forward.

When the king's palace appeared before it, it saw a massive chasm, as if cleaved by a sword the size of a mountain, stretching from its feet to the top of the palace and splitting it in two. And at the top of the palace, it seemed that a great being was waiting for it.

Ah, that's right, that's the king. Because even here, it can clearly feel the darkness and evil emanating from the top of the palace.

So it crossed the huge chasm, carrying the fruit, and climbed to the top of the palace.

And the moment it reached the top, it saw a huge head lying on the ground.

It was the head of a high-ranking demon, once majestic and noble, with eight magnificent horns atop it.

"Do you... have anything to offer me?"—A detached voice came from the top of its head. It raised its head and saw a creature that resembled a mortal, presumably female. She wore a black dress, had long red hair, and two pairs of bat wings of unequal size. Her wine-red eyes stared at it, awaiting its answer.

She is also a demon, another kind of demon. And she is the most powerful on this land.

Ah… so she is the true queen here—the lesser demon raised its head, realizing in that moment its mission and the meaning of its existence. It then prostrated itself on the ground, offering the skull fruit.

Thus, the last demon of Hell offered the outsider the most precious, and only, treasure of Hell.

When the imp received the fruit, a part of this universe submitted to her.

—The goddesses' will has finally taken its first step here.

Section Thirteen: Props and Another Props

One world has fallen, and soon many others will follow suit. When the last native inhabitant of the sinful world known as the Fallen Heaven swears allegiance to the goddesses' representatives on behalf of the world itself, the structure of this world changes along with the transfer of ownership.

The black rocky mountains softened, transforming into fertile land along with the billions of fallen souls sealed within. Abundant flowers and fruit trees thrived by the water source, emanating an alluring, refreshing, and sweet fragrance from between their petals and leaves.

As the blood of molten iron congeals, all sorts of rich and beautiful minerals form on the surface, both as bare ore and as crystals. Groups of newborn, docile little beasts emerge from the congealed blood, absorbing its glaring crimson hue, and frolic in small groups, emitting soft and endearing calls.

Looking up at the sky, the heavy, gloomy clouds, like frozen lead blocks, silently receded, transforming into a blue sky and white clouds that suited the aesthetic sensibilities of Earth's inhabitants. Rain and gentle breezes then touched the earth for the first time, adding a touch of vibrant color to this 'newborn' world.

Finally, the fallen souls that endlessly fell from the many other worlds to this place were also trapped outside the sky. A ball of inextinguishable fire, sprinkled by the imps, bound them, covered them, and used them as fuel to release a brilliant and bright light and heat.

The world has changed, transforming from a hell into a garden. Yet the essence of the world remains the same; it is still hell, and fallen souls who descend here will continue to suffer endless torment forever. The transfer of ownership merely alters the outward appearance of heaven and earth, while their function and essence remain unchanged.

But that was enough. At least for the visual creatures who had conquered this world. When the imps, wielding their newfound authority, implanted the new settings into this realm, the mortals who, not long ago, might have felt a slight unease due to their own atrocities against this world, instantly shed all their negative emotions—

They emerged from their concealed mobile fortresses and flying ships, removing their helmets and laughing joyfully as they explored this new world. They had gained justice; they had found solace in their consciences and moral validation. And the sole purpose of all these changes was thus achieved—when this false new world was born, Tyrion, as the sole commander of the legion and the one who knew the inside story, finally possessed a formidable army.

Ah… there's nothing we can do about it. This is a universe governed by idealism, and the strength of a warrior depends on their unwavering resolve. While they can't compare to the regular transmigrators who gain the universe's recognition and immense power upon arrival, for those bodies bound by the laws of mechanics in the material universe, the enhancement resulting from this purification of belief is already a considerable achievement.

The idea of ​​'redeeming' a hell always brings a sense of satisfaction. And it is precisely for this reason that the lesser demons choose the 'Fallen Heaven,' filled with hard-hearted demons, as their primary target, rather than attacking the 'High Heaven,' which is filled with angels who are not good at fighting but possess the most resources and have the most holy and beautiful appearance.

There was no other way; this was the method she had to use to deal with visual creatures. Even if there was no real difference, it at least gave her subordinates a chance to deceive themselves.

After all, the mind is power; that's a fact.

The little devil blinked, the swirling information in her eyes serving as proof that she was monitoring this world on behalf of her mistresses. In her vision, the first wave of mortal soldiers who followed her and, under her guidance, invaded this idealistic universe all experienced a significant increase in strength—

—When they entered this idealistic universe, they already had an early version of Spider-Man from the movies, which translates to roughly a level 60 combat power in a certain online game called Yggdrasil. And now, even the weakest among them is around level 80, with many top players even able to summon their previously acquired game equipment out of thin air!

The little devil didn't really understand the concepts of "level 60" and "level 80" combat power. But she could use the perspectives and experiences of the female protagonists to make calculations. And once a formula that could barely be considered reliable was put into operation, she arrived at a rough conclusion.

A level 60 mortal warrior's combat power is roughly equivalent to a second-tier gene lock holder with CC-level enhancements.

A level 80 mortal warrior equipped with gear is essentially equivalent to a warrior with B-grade enhancements and items, but who has only unlocked the second-tier gene lock.

The target that the female protagonists had been focusing on was a level 100 necromancer who had adopted the alias [Ainz Ooal Gown]. Considering the pile of world-class items he possessed, his true combat strength should be equivalent to a Tier 3 with AA-level enhancement and multiple S-level items.

If it were a reincarnator, it could probably become a mainstay in the third-tier reincarnation squad. In certain situations, it might even be able to unleash the ultimate third-tier power capable of annihilating entire nations. However, it is not, so it can only be considered a well-equipped, strong third-tier individual, someone who can be overwhelmed by lower-level combatants.

[Child's play.] — The little devil thought to herself, well aware of the size of her army. Even the initial vanguard numbered 302,100. Could a mere Tier 3 strong warrior, along with a group of no more than twenty Tier 3 strong minions, possibly cause even a fraction of the damage to a Tier 2 strong army of over 300,000, a force that would continue to grow?

Even if they could, could they possibly hide it from me, who has followed the female protagonists for billions of years—though most of the time it's useless and can't unlock the gene lock—who possesses countless secret techniques and hidden knowledge, and can even call on the female protagonists for support at crucial moments?

Are you kidding me?

Her gaze swept across the world. After the world's transformation, the vanguard had begun their second duty, besides conquering territories. They started gathering resources, piloting aircraft and engineering machines transported from the material world and enhanced by idealism, to construct forward bases. Their movements were swift; with the support of the material universe, sizable fortresses quickly rose from the ground. Even several mobile mining platforms were already in use, beginning to transform the world's resources into the war potential of her legions!

almost.

She saw the stars twinkling in the sky, each one a world's anchor point. She knew that soon countless lines of fire would rise from the earth beneath her feet, aimed at the heavens or intercepting the legions or expeditions they had dispatched in space before the stars could react!

It's still child's play... For her heroines, this level of combat is meaningless. But for her, the little devil, this is a once-in-a-lifetime... once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to prove her worth!

After all, she had been sidelined by the female protagonists for far too long... far too long.

And the next moment—

With a slight push of her toes, she levitated from the top of the former demon king's palace. As she hovered above the clouds, the demon palace she had stood on instantly distorted and transformed under the altered world setting, becoming an elven-style ruin filled with flowers, springs, and dancing, singing fairies. And in the very center of the ruins stood a solemn statue modeled after her!

—A sycophantic statement from the general public. She pursed her lips slightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

If it were many years ago… tens of millions, hundreds of millions, or even billions of years ago, she might have subconsciously destroyed the idols or even replaced them with statues of the heroines out of fear of overstepping her bounds. However, now, having a full understanding of the true power and authority of the heroines, she no longer bothers herself with such trivial matters.

The heroines don't care... the heroines have never cared. Even in the past, they never cared about such worthless praise and honors. In other words, if they could truly grow to a level that could be praised as gods, then the heroines would only feel joy—or at least she believed the heroines would feel joy.

I want to be of use to the female protagonists; I want to prove to them my value as an assistant.

She flew higher and higher, gradually reaching the top of the sky. From there, she could look down upon the entire stronghold of this place, which was both a dimensional star and a floating continent.

The continent is not small; its 20 million square kilometers are more than enough to accommodate hundreds of millions of people without building capital cities or causing large-scale environmental damage. Under her watchful eye, at least ten complete interdimensional portals gradually opened with the arrival of the second batch of legions, and the construction speed increased to a new level.

She knew why the female protagonists had driven the human civilization of the material world to this place. Because the female protagonists and another… she wasn't sure if she should also be called a mistress—a great being—were engaged in a game, or perhaps a lesson. The female protagonists had found a solution, and she was merely an agent of their will.

After all, the rule of this teaching is that the main body does not descend directly and does not release any matter into this universe—she is lucky because she is not a physical substance but a simple collection of information. This allows the heroines to program her into this universe in a way similar to programming, unlike poor Shanghai and Penglai, who, although always by the heroines' side, can never demonstrate their own role.

"How pitiful," the little devil thought. She was very aware of her role as a prop, and in her eyes, if a prop could not even achieve the function it was designed to perform, and was only kept by its owner as a collection because of its old appearance and history, then that was undoubtedly the deepest tragedy.

So... the next goal is...

Her movements suddenly stopped.

Because at that very moment, she sensed the call from the female protagonists.

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

When the Imp stepped into the palace where Alice and Patchouli's vessels, the same palace containing the incarnations of interference with the same appearance as them, resided, Alice was staring blankly at her severed left hand on the left side of the Twin Thrones. To her right sat Patchouli's vessel, who, like her, had also lost a hand.

She lost her left hand, and Patchouli lost her right. When their eyes met, a bitter smile involuntarily appeared on their lips.

They witnessed firsthand just how powerless a true god could be in the face of a transcendent being, and they finally understood what a "hundredfold difference at the same level" truly meant—even though Luo Ye shouldn't be a transcendent being right now. But they certainly experienced firsthand the feeling of being utterly crushed.

What happened? Simply put, the two goddesses, embarking on a path of transcendence and questioning and negating everything, attempted some underhanded tactics. In other words, they planned to cheat in this trial. Because they felt the total score for this test was higher than they had anticipated, they decided to slightly overstep the line, using their powers to directly rewrite the origin of time in the universe of their minds from the outside, without their physical bodies entering this universe—

—They've already seized control of the material side, so if they were to rewrite the mental side from the very beginning, making it part of the material side, or even preventing it from ever existing, wouldn't that be a direct victory? Although according to the fundamental rule that the weak cannot interfere with the strong, if their powers are effective even outside the universe, it must be because they're under the protection of a supreme god. But their true forms haven't even entered the fray yet, have they?

They thought this, and they did this. Then they discovered that Luo Ye was waiting for them at the origin of time, and then cut off whichever hand was extended.

Thus, after their original bodies, located on the inner side of the Abyss of Death, were severed, all their containers and incarnations within the universe suffered the same fate.

The severed hand hurt terribly, but it was her own fault. They had truly experienced the authority of their eldest sister.

Since they cheated—and more importantly, they were caught red-handed—they should rightfully pay the price. Although their very authoritative and formidable elder sister didn't explicitly tell them what to do, these two, whose emotional intelligence wasn't zero, clearly had some self-awareness.

So, when the little devil approached them, Alice, who had been chosen to lead the conversation during their eye contact, coughed lightly and gave orders to her long-unused assistant.

“I have a task for you, little devil.” She didn’t bother with any goddess-like demeanor, simply resting her severed hand on the armrest and gazing at her most trusted assistant—the one she trusted most as long as the concept of 'trust' still existed. Then she said, “This task is heavier than the responsibilities you currently bear, but I believe you can do it.”

She saw the little devil kneel before them, then look at her with unwavering eyes.

So she nodded.

"The war will continue, and you still bear the power to lead the legions. Conquering and dominating this side of the universe remains your goal. But in addition, you will also face a powerful adversary."

"You will face Sajo Aika, the only move your sister has made. Our will will be with you, providing you with advice and knowledge. But beyond that, we will do nothing more."

“One piece against one piece, one tool against one tool,” Patchouli picked up where Alice left off, her gaze fixed on the little devil, her tone earnest and serious. “The fate of this universe, and whether Alice and I will embarrass ourselves in front of our sister, depends on your performance and your decisions.”

"Are you willing to accept this order, you little devil?"

Section Fourteen: Is it really a holiday?

As the imp strode out of the palace, the moment the two thick alloy doors closed behind her, the entire luxurious and spacious hall fell silent once more.

Silence, silence.

Even atoms can cease their vibrations into silence if there is no need for it.

In the silence, Aristotle lowered her chin and fell into deep thought.

There's no doubt the little devils will try their best. Although she doesn't know where Ayaka Satou will descend, she believes the little devils will eventually find her. Then, they will fight each other with all their might.

Props against props, puppets against puppets—two entities that are hardly living beings will do everything in their power to win this battle for their master. And what will the final outcome be?

“It’s not really important,” Aristotle said abruptly, scratching her chin.

And so, the silence was broken. The instant she snapped out of her thoughts, her partner beside her cast a glance at her—just a glance, and only a glance was needed.

“Indeed, it’s not important.” Patchouli nodded slightly, then replied, “After all, their life and death are meaningless, since they don’t even have the concept of life and death.”

She reached out her hand, and with a thought, her missing right wrist gradually returned to normal—Luo Ye had indeed severed the concept of each of their hands, but reshaping one wasn't too difficult—and as her newly formed fingers bent slightly, a huge projection appeared in the center of the spacious hall.

That was the Imp's perspective, what she was looking at, and the direction Alice's gaze followed. As the two of them had said before, they would not interfere in the upcoming battle, only providing the Imp with necessary knowledge and intelligence when needed. However, both she and Alice knew very well that the Imp would not call for their support unless defeat was certain.

After all, Imp was designed from the beginning to be an assistant in managing the library. Although she is not the Celestial Being, she is the personification of the Great Library, which has undergone many changes. She knows all the knowledge Patchouli possessed before becoming the Celestial Being, knowledge sufficient to handle all matters in this universe.

Of course, this is only one part. The other, more important part, is that the little devil is not even a 'human'!

She is a program, she is artificial intelligence. This means that her core, the driving force that propels her actions and makes her behave like an intelligent being, was locked in from the beginning. And as the embodiment of a library, the core she is programmed with is naturally related to knowledge.

Knowledge accumulation, knowledge management, and knowledge application—the core programming elements that constitute the individual Little Devil have remained constant from the distant past to the present day, consisting of these three elements and their derivatives. And this does not include the project of 'seeking help'.

Therefore, the Imp wouldn't ask for help because she simply didn't understand what 'asking for help' meant. Even if she knew every possible interpretation of that phrase in at least a hundred thousand different languages, she still wouldn't act on it. In other words, when she stepped out the door, all the goddesses in the palace could do was stand by—if they truly intended to remain mere spectators.

So--

Alice lowered her eyes, watching her perspective shift rapidly within a very short timeframe, following the little devil's. Almost instantly after the latter left the palace, she put her pre-prepared expansion plan into action, and under the little devil's guidance, the army of the material universe launched a fierce attack on this side of the world.

It was a torrent of iron, hundreds and thousands of steel legions pouring forth ceaselessly from the gates between the two worlds. Protected by the power of the mind universe and aided by the numerous methods and measures the lesser demons had prepared beforehand and were currently planning, they swarmed like bees leaving their hive, attacking every independent plane of existence. One world after another was engulfed in flames, only to be twisted into gardens of mortal beauty under the lesser demons' will.

In a universe dominated by the mind, time and space hold little significance. Alice watched over the Imp's every advance, assessing each of its bloody battles. And many times, the Imp and its army suffered setbacks, even devastating blows.