Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

The wolf girl finally understood why she had been granted this opportunity. Because she was both executioner and facilitator; because she was a tool created by that noble being to help her puppet servants gain their own identities! Because the entire universe was that noble being's arena for her servants to fight each other, thus honing their abilities. And she was the ultimate safety net!

There is only one thing I must do, and only one price I must pay. That is, when the end of the universe arrives, if the servants of the noble have still not attained self-realization, then I must use the power I have acquired to forcibly sever all their ties and external interference. For this is their last chance; only by forcibly pushing them into death can they redefine themselves from nothingness and be reborn as beings with 'hearts'!

I see, I see.

Her eyes reflected billions of parallel world lines that she had not been able to observe before, and in each world line, there was a Lupsrechina who was unable to redefine herself from the brink of death and then be reborn!

The reason I am the ultimate insurance is precisely because the technology that created me is neither stable nor perfect. That's why I only encounter them after my servants' efforts have failed. Therefore, this is their last chance!

Ah... no wonder I so desperately wanted to bring liberation to the old inhabitants of the Great Tomb. So that's why...

[...Is that also part of the technical correction process?]

She shook her head slightly, looking at the God King and the Demon Lord before her. The moment the dagger was raised, she saw both of them enter a fighting stance.

"So it seems you're not planning to accept my 'assistance' directly?"

"To die with fighting spirit is to maximize your chances of success." — That was the answer she received.

She thought it made a lot of sense, so she took a light breath.

“Sasa Aiko.” — She heard the voice of the God-King.

"Little devil." — She heard the Demon Lord's voice.

"I haven't decided what to call myself yet." — This was the wolf girl's own answer.

The next moment, three completely different powers collided violently. The tiny battlefield shattered instantly, and the battle zone stretched from the point of impact all the way into the depths of space!

The final battle has begun.

And just seconds after they started their battle, on a piece of celestial debris the size of a tabletop.

Inside a broken skull,

Ignite the ghostly blue soul flames!

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Sky of Usurpation

How can one kill a being beyond the species? How can one kill a quasi-saint?

How can one kill a sage? How can one kill a true saint?

"Alice, you've studied the gene lock for so long, you should understand its essence. From the beginning, the gene lock wasn't created for killing; it was created for survival."

In that ordinary KFC in the other world, Luo Ye explained the changes on the battlefield to her two dim-witted students. In their eyes, the battle between the little devil, Satō Aika, and the wolf girl was utterly insignificant—for a screenwriter and director, there was naturally no expectation of deriving much enjoyment from a pre-arranged drama. But anything outside the script would immediately raise their guard.

They focused their attention on Ainz Ooal Gown, on the skull ablaze with soulfire. They watched the broken, decaying skeleton struggle to its feet, its arms outstretched, gazing at the sky from the shattered ground. They also noticed that the three super-individuals, including Imp, were too engrossed in their battle to notice this place!

This is abnormal, because chance does not exist in the realm of extraordinary beings and above. In Alice and Patchouli's script, this scene is not part of the end of this world!

Was it made by Luo Ye?

No, she didn't do it. But she knew about this scene and understood its underlying meaning. And since that's the case...

“Yes, I understand.” Alice nodded, responding to Luo Ye’s words: “The genetic lock prioritizes survival over offense. With each step forward, the level of life changes significantly. With each level, there are fewer natural enemies and weaknesses.”

“Yes, that’s it.” Luo Ye snapped his fingers. “Unlocking the first stage of the gene lock, thus gaining complete control over one’s limbs and movements. This is to eliminate threats at the melee level, so as not to die due to one’s own mistakes or the mistakes of others.”

"Unlocking the second stage of the gene lock allows one to control all the muscles and internal organs in their body. This is to eliminate the defect that leads to death due to damage to the circulatory system. Once this stage is reached, one will not die from blood loss, internal organ damage, or other reasons. Even if only a heart and a head remain, one can prolong life for a short period of time."

"Unlocking the third stage of the gene lock allows one to control their nervous system and brain function. This stage primarily aims to enhance resistance to mental shocks, knowledge contamination, cognitive distortions, and other brain-related areas. This, in turn, increases the ability to survive under mental harm."

"When the fourth-order gene lock is unlocked, the first step is to activate and control all cells, and then extend from cells to gene fragments, molecules, atoms, quarks, and strings. When the most troublesome mind is completed, the organism masters all its own inner power. And when it succeeds, it will gain resistance or even immunity to any blows that affect its inner self, and that is when it can be considered a true human being."

"True gods control their own timeline at this stage, which is essentially about controlling their inner power to gain a sufficiently strong ability to survive. But above true gods, the status of those who surpass the first rank is quite special."

"Is it because you've surpassed the first level of the species and begun to grasp external power?" Patchouli, who had been listening in, interjected. "Other source world lines, other single universes, these are all unrelated to the inner self. Moreover, the purification required to survive the Great Cataclysm should also represent the ultimate level of inner exploration, right?"

“Yes, it’s the ultimate.” Luo Ye nodded. “The inner power is already at its limit, and once the external power is explored on this basis, the difference between the Transcendent and the Sage is not that great. The Transcendent relies on multiple source world lines to gain the ability to survive even if the world lines are erased. The Sage, on the other hand, simply increases the number of source world lines, their own legends, and their own traces to infinity. Compared to the two, the difference is just finite and infinite.”

“I see.” Patchouli took out a notebook from her pocket and wrote it down. “This explains why Quasi-Saints are stronger than Sages, and why Quasi-Saints can directly reach the level of True Saints. Because Sages are essentially using the method of exhaustive enumeration to expand their own source worldline to an infinite transcendent species over countless years. Therefore, the essence of a Sage is the relative endpoint of a transcendent species, and only by becoming a Quasi-Saint can one become a True Saint who can continue to reach even higher levels!”

"That's right, it's a good choice to record it as notes. However, that's not the focus of the current topic, and I won't tell you how to become a Quasi-Saint. What I want to tell you is the fact that 'Transcendent beings and Saints actually belong to the same level of life.' In other words, if there is a way to kill a Transcendent being, then as long as the number of repetitions is increased to infinity, then even a Saint can be killed."

“Now it’s time to test what you’ve learned.” Luo Ye tilted her head. In the intercosmic live stream beside her, the half-crippled Undead King had gathered his last bit of magic and was trying to cast one last spell.

Its 'forced calmness' was still working even after being slashed by the wolf girl, which meant that it had come to the conclusion with an absolutely calm mind that even after witnessing the wolf girl and others' world-destroying combat power, the magic it released would still be effective!

This is a very obvious hint, at least for those who transcend, it couldn't be more obvious.

To survive the attack of a blade sculpted by Alice, a being of the transcendent species, clearly indicates the protection of another transcendent species. The true identity of this Undead King is obviously not as simple as it appears. But if he truly is another transcendent species, why hasn't he revealed himself yet, and why hasn't he resisted Alice and the others' encroachment on his source world line?

Alice and Patchouli fell into deep thought.

Luo Ye shook his head slightly and gave a further hint, finishing the sentence he hadn't fully said before.

"How can one completely kill a transcendent being?" she asked.

How can one kill a being beyond the species? How can one kill a sage?

The theory is simple: erase all of the opponent's source world lines, making them cease to exist from the very beginning. But theory is one thing, practice is another. Transcendent beings aren't sitting idly by, allowing anyone to attack them. Given that the life levels of sages and transcendent beings aren't completely different, it's obvious that any attack will inevitably result in resistance in various forms!

Should we directly use a source world line several times larger to exert pressure? No, while quantity is an important parameter, it is not a decisive factor. There should be more suitable methods of warfare between transcendent species.

Alice's thoughts raced; she knew perfectly well that Luo Ye wouldn't speak without reason. Since Luo Ye had mentioned what she had learned before…

……I see.

The calculating glint in Alice's eyes ceased. Then she took a soft breath.

She thought of Flora's attitude towards her, her own actions in the Sword Art Online world, and Aichidra's struggle for ascension. Finally, she thought of the sword she had forged herself—the one from a wolf girl who had no connection whatsoever to the wolf maids of the past, yet was made from the same material!

“To completely kill a transcendent being, a sage, it’s useless to use brutal methods like directly erasing their source world.” She pondered for a moment, then said, “The most correct way to kill it is to transform it, redefine it, make it… no longer itself.”

"How do we do it?"

“Interfering with the other party’s timeline subtly… no, any direct contact is too obvious. It must be indirect, it must be covert. And then…”

“Before that, we must delay the opponent’s main body.” Patchouli said from the side, “Although the Transcendent Species and the Sages are the starting point and the relative end point, they are still on the same track. But unlike the Sages who have infinite source world lines, the source world lines are limited. For Transcendent Species like us, the obvious weakness of the main body still exists.”

“Patchouli is right, the main body does need to be delayed first. And after delaying the main body…” Alice nodded, refining her theory with Patchouli’s additions. “Infiltrate your influence… the Dao Erosion phenomenon, into the source world where the opponent resides. By altering the environment of the opponent’s source world, indirectly interfere with their source world line from the outside, influencing their beliefs and distorting their reasoning. And when the erosion is largely complete, and a suitable opportunity arises, detonate everything with a pre-prepared trigger!”

She abruptly turned her head to look at the Undead King, who had already reached the end—the Imp, who had just been killed by the Werewolf, made her eyes twitch—and her gaze then bypassed these 'insignificant, trivial' details, extending forward all the way to the beginning of the timeline!

She finally realized the problem with the Undead King himself.

Although the bloody torrent within this multiverse is gradually fading, the end is far from coming. This era is still one of great human prosperity. And without external interference, how could such a decadent, unambitious, stagnant, and corrupt world, one that remains unchanged from the beginning of civilization to its very end, suddenly appear within this multiverse?

It's important to understand that the existence of script memes is meant to allow humanity to replace the will of Heaven, thereby triggering a resonance of destiny and making mortals the core of all stories in the multiverse, the eternal protagonists of all scripts. However, humanity that is so corrupt, stagnant, and devoid of any ambition can only ever serve to hold things back!

Therefore, the answer is obvious.

Alice's fingers tapped lightly on the edge of the table. She looked at Luo Ye and stated her conclusion.

"The world of the Undead King... is a battlefield of beings beyond species. That person named Suzuki Satoru is a being beyond species."

“Yes, and then?” Luo Ye sipped her cola, smiling in agreement.

"It encountered a formidable foe, and its main body was delayed somewhere. While its main body was embroiled in a fierce battle, all of its source world lines were secretly eroded—this world of the Undead King was distorted into this state because its opponent wanted to kill it. And if I'm not mistaken, this world was originally supposed to be a world like Sword Art Online, with virtual reality as its main storyline."

Why would you think that?

“Because you never speak without reason, sister,” Patchouli replied. “You wouldn’t have chosen the world of Sword Art Online without a reason. Because that’s an option, while this is a battlefield where there is no option.”

Luo Ye hummed softly. She reached out and pulled out another tablet, displaying a different world—a thriving technological world. While mortals had discovered the limitations of the cosmos, they hadn't stopped there. Like the world of Sword Art Online, they sought to create new spaces through fictional means. And one day in the 24th century, their virtual technology even broke through the boundaries between the twin worlds, successfully connecting the material and the spiritual worlds!

So that's how it is. So this is what the world was originally like. No wonder the war between the little devil and Sajira Aika didn't trigger any intervention from the corrective forces. Because the war between the two worlds was exactly as the original script was written!

With a flick of her finger, Luo Ye revealed Suzuki Satoru from the original script to her two foolish disciples—a protagonist driven by hard work and a classic path. And indeed, he was playing a game called Yggdrasil.

However, unlike the original script, in that script, he had a good social life, loving family and friends, and naturally, he wasn't given a non-human undead character like in the current script, but rather was an ordinary human mage. And in that particular script, he was indeed accidentally transported to another world due to Yggdrasil's shutdown!

Not immortal, without forced composure, and without a group of extremely evil NPCs around to influence him. This protagonist, who also founded the guild "Ainz Ooal Gown," but used the online name "Momonga" to travel to another world, naturally created a series of great achievements praised by later generations. And when the merging of the two worlds began in the 24th century, he, as the 'Hero King of the Present World,' signed a covenant with the visitors from the material universe, thus becoming a vital bridge for communication between the two worlds.

Relying on resources shared by both realms, he successfully became a transcendent being traversing both worlds over the next thousand years. In the subsequent war between the two realms, he joined the conflict with the power to influence the course of the battle, and at the end of the war, in a bloody struggle, he became the true god of peace, ending the war between the two realms!

After that, the plot becomes chaotic. Although it is unknown how he became a transcendent species, it is likely due to some extraordinary encounter. However, this is not important. What is important is that the methods of war have been clearly presented to the reincarnators.

In a fascinating twist, an unknown transcendent being clashed with another transcendent being named Suzuki Satoru. While delaying Suzuki Satoru's physical body, the opponent projected its interference power into the universe containing Suzuki Satoru's original worldline, indirectly distorting Suzuki Satoru's worldline by warping the overall social order. The result was that, unnoticed, Suzuki Satoru's Dao was silently distorted.

He shouldn't be immortal, shouldn't be surrounded by a group of inhuman NPCs. Because they are all knives used by his enemies to kill him. They corrupt him, twist him, but they don't stop him from climbing step by step to become the world's overlord and touching the world's pinnacle. And when all of this is detonated, he will die completely, and then... he will no longer be himself!

So, what is the switch that detonates it?

Alice lowered her eyes. Some things are not noticeable under normal circumstances, but once you look closely with 'colored glasses,' they can reveal their traces. And in this entire script of the Undead King, there is one thing that is most out of place.

"Super-tier magic, an offering to the Black Goat Mother Goddess." Alice uttered these words.

“Very perceptive, my sister.” Luo Ye clapped her hands.

In the revised version of the script, Ainz Ooal Gown, now the Flying Squirrel, uses this magic on the kingdom's army as the Great Tomb of Nazarick expands outwards. The result is that tens of thousands of soldiers are instantly sacrificed, while a mysterious entity from an unknown place sends down several offspring as compensation.

Alice didn't know about the chess player, but she knew at least one thing: that evil entity was definitely not on the same side as the human destiny.

So, having learned so much information, what kind of magic will Ainz Ooal Gown, who has already been almost completely corrupted, place his hopes on at this last moment?

Alice's gaze returned to the center of the battlefield. And at that very moment, Sajou Aika also met her end under the wolf girl's dagger!

At the same moment, she saw the broken being named Ainz Ooal Gown finish reciting the last incantation!

"Then, I will offer myself as a sacrifice!"

"—O Black Goat Mother of the Otherworld, display your divine power and destroy the last god in this world!"

A huge, distorted magic circle appeared around its body, and the next moment, a massive portal unfolded above its head!

—This is the 'switch'! This is the final trigger! Ainz Ooal Gown, who has abandoned the path of a hero and embarked on the path of a demon king, will inevitably suffer a crushing defeat when faced with an overwhelming enemy. And when all the NPCs who were specially cultivated and placed by its side as its bonds perish under the overwhelming tide of power, it will inevitably sacrifice itself to obtain that terrifying power of revenge from another realm!

So, the individual who came to accept the sacrifice and assimilate the other from the online world was the enemy who had delayed Suzuki Satoru's true form in the unknown! Because it wanted to transform him, to turn everything about Suzuki Satoru into a part of itself, an avatar, and devour him without missing a single drop!

The twilight of the universe has arrived.

From the portal appeared a massive, dark cloud with a humanoid silhouette, bearing antlers like those of a stag, its burning eyes like withered nebulae. As it uttered enigmatic whispers, the decaying winds surging around it froze time and space within its sight!

It is the powerful offspring of the Black Goat Mother, an Ancient Ruler who governs the winds of the stars, and its name is—

—Ikutaya!

At the very moment of its arrival, all the [Undead King] worlds in the entire multiverse witnessed a similar scene! The decaying starlight froze all the world lines that had 'triggered the switch' at the instant the sacrifice was completed, and this world, which Alice had forcibly delayed for twelve eras, was exactly the last one it was missing!

The battle between these transcendent species must now be decided.

At this very moment, the Great Old One from another cosmic realm will transform all of Suzuki Satoru's source world lines into his own. From this day forward, one of the heroes among mortals will be permanently lost, and a new Great Old One will be added to the roster forever!

Just as it was about to seize the fruits of victory, in the KKFC of the other world, Luo Ye slowly stood up.

"This is the inside story of this world, and this is the extra major question attached to the end of the book. Originally, your final test was to fight it, so as to personally experience a war between species. However, after some consideration, I think it's best not to force things too much."