Without answering Violet’s question, 【Sword】 put his helmet back on, returning to his fully armored stance. His voice, filled with an indescribable emotion, spoke slowly and solemnly.

“Outsider of great power, you have successfully passed the trial of the Twelve Palace Guardians. As the leader of the Twelve Palace—【Sword】, I grant you permission to proceed. Go and seek the treasures and power left by our master. The path ahead is fraught with danger and opportunity, but I believe that with your immense strength, you will accomplish… what we could not.”

“What you could not accomplish? What do you mean?”

The priestess tilted her head in surprise, but 【Sword】 remained silent, lowering his head as if to bid her farewell.

“Alright, alright… if you don’t want to say, that’s fine. I’m in a bit of a hurry, so I’ll be going now. Do as you please.”

With a light nod, Violet did not hesitate any longer. She stepped past the black-armored warrior and headed straight for the pitch-black passage that had automatically opened at the front of the arena after the battle ended.

Just before her figure disappeared into the passage, she left a light yet earnest promise without turning back.

“Don’t worry. The path you couldn’t complete, I will walk it to the end.”

With that, the girl stepped into the darkness.

“Truly… thank you, Lady Violet…”

With a sense of expectation and relieved liberation, 【Sword】’s figure, like his already vanished comrades, slowly turned to ash, scattering into the vast golden sea of flowers.

……………………………..

“Upper-dimensional spirits, they aren’t all as unsightly as I thought…”

Stepping out of the dark passage, Violet found herself in a completely different world. She had returned to the temple filled with an aura of mystery and solemnity, but it was clear that she had advanced significantly from where she had been before.

With this realization, the priestess took a small bottle from her spatial bag. This bottle contained the 【Frenzied Spirit】 she had captured by chance at Spirit Butterfly Peak. She uncorked the bottle, releasing the formless spirit.

The newly freed Frenzied Spirit began to dart around restlessly, as if plotting something, but a cold glance from the black-haired girl made it shudder and settle down immediately. After all, its life was completely in Violet’s hands.

【M-M-Master, may I ask where we are now?】

The message, filled with mad intent but also tinged with a comically cautious tone, was conveyed through the psychic tendrils Violet extended.

【In the depths of your old home, the temple of the Demon God.】

【D-D-D-Demon God!!??】

【Stop shouting! Don’t make a fuss. Now, tell me, who is the strongest individual you know of in the Illusionary Realm?】

Feigning a fierce demeanor, the priestess glared at the spirit, suppressing its fearful and uneasy reaction to the title and straightforwardly posing the question she most wanted answered.

【Uh… sorry, but if we’re talking about the strongest individual, it would have to be the Great Lord of Blazing Flames. It’s practically the pinnacle of elemental beings in the Illusionary Realm…】

Before it could finish, another equally frenzied yet distinct voice immediately interrupted.

【No! The strongest is clearly the Holy Ancestor of the Spirit Butterfly Tribe! While she may be less destructive than the Great Lord of Blazing Flames, as the strongest among our spiritual beings, in a true life-and-death battle, she would definitely be more formidable than that fire boulder!】

Immediately, another voice, from who knows where, shouted angrily.

【Nonsense! The Holy Ancestor of the Spirit Butterfly only achieves the level of a Great Lord by relying on environmental advantages and external aids. Let her fight the Great Lord of Blazing Flames without any help, and she’d be burned to ashes in no time!】

The previous voice, defending the Holy Ancestor of the Spirit Butterfly, loudly retorted.

【What’s wrong with using external aids? Aren’t external aids a form of power? Don’t summoners use various pieces of equipment all the time? Are you saying they aren’t powerful? We’re all spiritual beings, and yet you support outsiders over your own kind. Enough is enough!!】

【In any case, the Great Lord of Blazing Flames is the strongest! You haven’t seen that being with your own eyes, so you can’t understand its terror!!】

Suddenly, four or five voices started chattering simultaneously, their frenzied arguments like noisy crows, making one’s head throb.

Even though Violet was immune to their mental influence, the clamor, akin to a brawl among several adventurers in a tavern, was too much to bear.

So, she simply grabbed the five bickering entities, stuffed them back into the jade bottle, and returned it to her spatial bag.

Peace at last.

“Why does this feel like watching fanatical fans argue about their idols…”

Shaking her head with a hint of helplessness, the priestess knew she had achieved her goal in releasing them temporarily.@@novelbin@@

Undoubtedly, the beings in the Illusionary Realm were far superior in both quality and quantity compared to those outside. The Great Lord of Blazing Flames mentioned by the Frenzied Spirit was likely the God of Blazing Flames and Explosions, while the Holy Ancestor of the Spirit Butterfly was probably referring to Tiyelu.

If these guys weren’t deliberately spreading false information or simply mistaken, it seemed that while Tiyelu’s raw power might not match that of the flame giant who had reached godhood, she could wield similar strength thanks to the things the Demon God left her.

Furthermore, there were probably other powerful beings in the Illusionary Realm who were close to their level of strength. Yet, none of these formidable entities had attempted to seize the Demon God’s power here.

The Twelve Palace Guardians were strong, but not invincible. What were these powerful beings afraid of? Or perhaps… they simply couldn’t find a way in?

As Violet pondered these questions, she did not slow her pace. She had no idea how many trials and challenges the Demon God had left for those who came after, but she enjoyed this sense of adventure.

If she weren’t pressed for time, Violet might have been willing to take her time and play along with these challenges instead of using sheer brute force to crush the Twelve Palace Guardians as she had.

By her calculations, she was almost there.

At this thought, as she took a step on the crystal-clear floor, the world changed again.

“Wow…”

Seeing her new surroundings, the priestess couldn’t help but let out a slightly surprised exclamation.

There were no guardians immediately attacking her. In stark contrast to the wild and violent atmosphere of the arena, this place was filled with a sense of civilization and tranquility.

It was a library.