In Type-Moon, it all starts with adopting Sakura.

wrong.

The explosion that had just occurred had indeed worked, and flames rose up at that moment.

The spell cards he used were ultimately runes from the Age of Gods, and the flames he ignited were genuine rune fire. Even though these dark thorns were reinforced by the Reality Marble, they could not withstand the attack unscathed.

That is to say-

"As expected, it was sucked away."

Upon meeting him, Lowe uttered the correct answer, and at that moment, the master of the Rose Garden, the demonic progenitor of the Dead Apostles, appeared in a spot within the Rose Garden.

"Hmm, you reacted very quickly."

Rita stroked her smooth chin, her previously naked body now draped in a rose-colored dress as dark as night. She looked at Lovi and said with amusement, "You guessed right. In my mental world, these roses and thorns are alive. They can be considered my children, and they are extremely thirsty, attacking any living thing that enters them. The magic you just unleashed was consumed by them."

"It autonomously preys on all creatures that enter it. Whether it's magic, heat, or life force, it will be constantly absorbed and used as nourishment to strengthen itself. Your Realm is really interesting. It's a bit like... Fuhailin Anashu."

Luo Wei immediately saw through the true nature of this inherent barrier.

However, he did not show any signs of nervousness.

Because he realized that compared to more famous Reality Marbles like the Land of Shadows, Lord of the Armies, and Unlimited Blade Works, this Reality Marble seemed... rather ordinary.

However, Rita Roggean, who appeared before him, remained confident in him.

"Your eyesight is quite good; you even know so much about Fuhailin Anashu. But your idea is indeed correct. My Reality Marble is called 'Rose Thorn Prison,' and a large part of its functions originates from the real Fuhailin Anashu."

Rita opened her arms wide, as if showing off some treasure, and began to enthusiastically introduce to Lovi this magnificent creation she had crafted with her talent and wisdom, a masterpiece that surpassed all miracles and ingenuity.

"As for the reason... I might as well tell you. It's because I spent a lot of money to exchange for the seed of the Fuhailin Anashu from White Wing Duke Tevanm Otenroche. I then used my heart to nurture it in my body and modified and integrated it into my technique. Therefore, a large part of the Reality Marble I created was influenced by the Fuhailin Anashu, possessing its predatory and regenerative properties. You can now regard it as a unique Fuhailin."

Rita Roggean finished speaking with a hint of pride in her voice.

"So... you're just a mediocre person who exploited a loophole, using the inherent properties of Fuhailin Anashu to modify and fuse with it in order to obtain your own unique barrier?"

After hearing about Rita's magical achievements, Luo Wei did not admire or praise Rita's actions. Instead, he felt that such actions greatly diminished the potential of her own mental world and were simply a shortcut. Therefore, he was quite sarcastic towards her.

"Ok?"

Upon hearing this, Rita's expression changed slightly.

"Heh... What a fool. Do you think just anyone can master something as miraculous as a Reality Marble? Do you think I went through so much trouble to acquire my own Reality Marble? To dismiss my magical achievements with just a few words is far too arrogant... Human!"

"You think that taking shortcuts goes against the original intention of the demonic path, right? Then why don't you have your own inherent barrier, even though you have been studying the demonic path correctly all along?"

Rita Roggean was not angry at Lo Wei's sarcasm; instead, she wore a smug expression.

In her view, Loewi's words were nothing but jealousy and impotent rage, jealous that she was able to obtain her own Inherent Barrier.

Moreover, the outcome was already decided the moment Luo Wei was dragged into this world.

While Lovi's Primal Runes were indeed very troublesome in terms of magical properties, and he was also very restrained, continuing the fight would definitely put him at a great disadvantage. However, a Reality Marble could completely and overwhelmingly end the battle.

There is a fundamental difference in combat power between magicians who possess and do not possess a fixed barrier.

This magic is essentially the release of a Heroic Spirit's Noble Phantasm. When the skill levels are roughly equal, a Heroic Spirit without a Noble Phantasm can never defeat a Heroic Spirit with a Noble Phantasm; this is an undeniable fact.

Furthermore, although her "Rose Thorn Prison" borrows a large part of the model evolved from Fuhailin Anashu, there is no completely identical inherent barrier in this world, and there are many elements and methods related to her within it.

For example, those roses that constantly emit a black fragrance are highly poisonous, and it is difficult for any carbon-based organism to survive in this environment for long.

Although this biological venom was equally harmful to her, given her extremely high immortality as the progenitor of the Dead Apostles, the venom was not as damaging as burning her with fire.

"You seem to be talking too much nonsense. If you're going to fight, do it now. I'm in a hurry."

Luo Wei said calmly.

"Continue fighting? Heh... What do you have left to fight me with? This rose garden can absorb your magic. Even the only familiar that can rival me is currently trapped outside my bounded field. Even if I do nothing, you will be trapped and die in this garden, becoming part of my body's nourishment. Unless... you can summon a second familiar here with combat power comparable to the Flame Giant, of the same level, or even stronger."

At this point, Rita Roggie couldn't help but laugh.

Do you really think she can't tell?

Such a summoning of a familiar, even with runes, requires extremely complex preparation.

The number of spell cards that Lovi used when summoning the Flame Giant was countless.

Does he really have the resources to summon another one here?

Thinking of this, Rita laughed without any hesitation.

However, these words sounded rather strange when they reached Luo Wei's ears.

The second one?

Yes, there are actually many familiars as powerful as this.

However, seeing Rita already popping the champagne, he didn't want to say anything, wanting to see her happy for a while longer before speaking.

After all, this woman really didn't understand the current situation; she clearly didn't realize that her foolish behavior had done him a huge favor.

"You know, there's a simple proverb among us humans: 'The barking dog is the least likely to bite.' Some things are best left to the hands of the user. I really don't understand what's so great about sacrificing your potential for a copied Reality Marble. Without your immortality as the progenitor of the Dead Apostles, you would have been killed by me countless times over."

Lovi smiled slightly, then stood in the center of the garden and gently beckoned to Rita Rojaan with his finger, continuing his sarcastic remarks.

"You keep saying you despise humanity, but all you can rely on is that repulsive vitality, like a cockroach. If the Ancestor of the Dead Apostles is really only this level, then it can only be said that there is a frightening amount of exaggeration in his reputation."

"You... your mouth is still so annoying. Since you still refuse to accept my offer and beg for mercy, I have no choice but to kill you and then resurrect you. That way, even if you become my servant, you will remember today's experience and learn to put away your arrogance that disgusts me and learn to show the respect that a master should have."

Rita Roggean said with great resentment.

Originally, she had planned to give Rowe another chance to surrender in this thorn garden, to submit to her and become her servant.

However, the repeated provocations had made her lose patience. At this moment, all she wanted was to kill this arrogant human, force him to become a Dead Apostle, and then take him back to train him properly.

She slowly opened her mouth, then softly chanted: "By blood, I summon the fury of thorns, roses bloom, blood shadows intertwine, imprisoning the enemy in an endless thorn prison!"

The important incantation came out of his mouth.

Suddenly, terrifying magic erupted from her graceful body.

The aura was like a torrential downpour from the sky, and black and red light suddenly burst forth and flashed, enveloping the entire rose garden in just an instant.

The next moment, the entire dark garden was drawn by her magic and began to tremble violently.

It wasn't a new magic trick, but rather that this woman had completely activated all the properties of this inherent barrier.

The soil was churning, and the earth was trembling.

Countless black branches swayed and whipped in mid-air, making a piercing sound.

Sasha—!!

However, seemingly knowing that a direct attack on Rowe would be ineffective, the vines did not immediately launch an attack. Instead, they began to coil and shrink around him, intending to reduce Rowe's position to a dead end.

At the same time, something seemed to be coming from underground.

However, looking down, all that could be seen was still dead and decaying soil, nothing else.

However, at that moment—

puff! !

A muffled sound suddenly came from the ground a few meters away from Luo Wei, as if something had struck him hard from the inside.

The muddy ground began to tremble violently, and cracks, like hideous scars, began to spread rapidly.

Immediately afterwards, pairs of horrifying human hands covered in mud and rotting flesh emerged from the bottomless darkness, their nails broken and black slime dripping from their fingertips.

"Ok?"

Luo Wei frowned slightly as he looked at the horrific scene unfolding not far away.

"Roar--!!"

"Roar--!!!"

With a series of chilling screams, a group of mangled corpses struggled to crawl out of the rotting mud.

Their bodies were twisted, their flesh seemingly gnawed away by time, hanging precariously from their skeletons; with every movement, bits of flesh would fall away. However, even more eerie than their horrific appearance was the fact that they were adorned with vibrant roses.

Thick vines sprouted from the zombies' eye sockets, nasal cavities, and chest cavities, tightly coiling around their mutilated limbs. Thorny stems dug deep into the rotting flesh, greedily drawing nutrients. Large, vibrant roses bloomed profusely, their petals so red they seemed to drip blood, their stamens emitting a pungent, putrid stench that mingled with the zombies' stench, creating a nauseating effect. Some roses grew from the zombies' mouths, forcing open their jaws as if to pour out endless pain and despair; others bloomed directly on their backs, their petals swaying in the wind, seemingly mocking the absurdity of the world.

These rose zombies have empty eyes, their murky eyes emitting a ghostly green light.

Under Rita's command, they dragged their heavy bodies forward step by step, leaving behind a trail of rotting footprints and scattered rose petals in their wake.

"A Dead Apostle? No, not even a ghoul."

Rowe looked at the group of zombies emerging from the soil of the rose garden and couldn't help but ponder.

These dazed beings are definitely not Dead Apostles, but rather somewhat similar to ghouls, who, lacking genes and factors, are more like those who remain in a daze, devoid of reason, and only know how to drink poison to quench their thirst.

But looking at it this way... isn't right either.

Rather than saying that these Rose Zombies are in a daze, it would be more accurate to say that they have no self-awareness at all and are simply puppets, special beings evolved from Rita's Reality Marble.

However, although they are unconscious, these creatures have greatly enhanced their power through the roses that parasitize their bodies, and their physical strength has been greatly enhanced by the inherent barrier. Their bodies are as hard as steel, and they all have the property of absorbing magic power. Even experienced agents would find it extremely troublesome to deal with them.

quantity……

One, ten, hundred, thousand...

There were probably thousands of figures, and the number of these Rose Zombies continued to increase without any sign of stopping.

"Now... you're dead!!"

Then, amidst Rita's angry shouts, they surged towards Rowe's location like a tide, intending to completely engulf the body in front of him.

A narrow garden, countless rose zombies, no way back, and countless enemies ahead.

Is it a desperate situation?

This would be true for other magicians, but not necessarily for him. Rather, such a stage is simply not enough for him to fully showcase his abilities.

"You think you've already won just because it's this good enough?"

Before the Rose Zombie arrived, Lovi raised his finger and used all his spell cards to construct a temporary barrier made of flames, then asked Rita Rojaan.

This statement was somewhat difficult for Rita Rojaan to understand.

"Oh? Do you still have any trump cards left? I can tell that your spell cards and runes are almost depleted, aren't they?"

She squinted at the last spell card that flew out of Luo Wei's hand, her eyes already seeing his death.

Their escape route was blocked.

Magic power is being consumed.