Since the war has deepened, the soldiers of Ruin have witnessed countless phenomena that were neither scientific nor natural—so many that they have grown somewhat numb. Yet this scene of fragmented corpses rising up one after another still struck them with shock and bewilderment, leaving them feeling as though they too might soon become the very living dead. Of course, their ability to maintain morale and avoid collapse after having seen so many such extraordinary events is not without reason. As their fears mounted, a steady stream of chanting voices emerged from the rear: “They are naked, with neither clothing nor food, exposed to the cold.” “… ‘Night has not abandoned them; it has shown them mercy.’” (Note 1) The prayers of sacred compassion echoed throughout the entire line, swiftly dispersing each soldier’s fear and bringing both body and spirit into a state of calm. Then, some soldiers obeyed orders, retrieving cannon shells adorned with silver patterns, adjusting the gun barrels, and aiming them at the thick, surging tide of broken, lifeless bodies. Boom! Boom! Boom! Between flashes of flame, cannon shells landed at various points on the battlefield, exploding and spreading a dense darkness. The fragmented bodies either were obliterated or fell lifeless, returning to eternal rest. At the rear of the resistance, the enigmatic figure in a black robe, with a hood drawn over his head, raised both arms as if embracing the crimson moon above. At that moment, his form suddenly became translucent, tinged with a soft red, transforming into a hazy glow of moonlight. This moonlight instantly shattered, dispersing into shimmering red scales that faded into the air. "Moonlight Transmutation!" This is a rare ability possessed by the "Herbalist" path, Sequence 5, "Deep Crimson Scholar"—for a Sequence 4 "Witch King," it has nearly become instinctual. And where the "Witch King" had just stood, a figure swiftly materialized. This is a colossal doll—its hair golden, its eyes vivid red, dressed in a long black Gothic gown etched with countless mysterious patterns and entwined with strange, eerie vines. Her skin lacks the natural luster befitting a human. Réniet Tiniçol! The one summoned by the "Staff of Stars" is her pristine, original self. Of course, the true "Staff of Stars"—brought from the gray mist into the realm of reality ahead of time—is what Klein has lent to this messenger. If not, then Klein's historical image of the gap would summon only a projection of the staff, which in turn would summon a projection of Réniet Tiniçol at her peak in the past. All of this burden would fall upon the magician, Fols, rapidly draining her spiritual essence. By temporarily entrusting the actual "Staff of Stars" to Réniet Tiniçol, this issue is effectively circumvented, with the spiritual cost borne directly by the ancient entity itself. At the same time, Reniet Tini科尔 might be one of the few who is least afraid of the negative effects of the "Staff of the Stars." As a representative of Temperance, and as a "puppet," a "doll," He is entirely capable of allowing no mental images to form at all, thus transforming into a concealed state where the "Staff of the Stars" finds it difficult to affect His historical image fragments. Just now, Reniet Tini科尔, in her intact condition, attempted to move silently and directly embody herself to control the "Wizard-King" of the Rose School, thereby ending the battle instantly. Yet the other had already sensed the threat in advance, leveraging the illumination of the moonlight to preemptively break free from the state of being haunted. Amidst the deep crimson glow spreading over the land, red scales at a distance rapidly reorganized themselves into the form of the Rose School's "Wizard-King," wearing a black robe and a hood. He kept his eyes tightly shut, unwilling to meet the gaze of the "ancient evil" across from him. At the same time, a figure emerged swiftly on the other side of the battlefield—Germaine Spalro, dressed in a black raincoat and wearing a half-high hat. With his left hand fitted in transparent gloves, he raised his right and snapped his fingers once. Instantly, clusters of vibrant red flames burst forth across the battlefield, as if heralding a grand performance. The "Wizard King" had just completed his reformation and, at that moment, extended his left hand, swiftly tearing open the fabric across his chest and abdomen. Meanwhile, in Renette Tiniel's vivid red eyes, his silhouette now clearly appeared. If all went as expected, the "Wizard King" of the Rose Academy would transform into either a rabbit or a goat within the next second—losing most of his distinctive traits and extraordinary abilities. Yet, his body merely emitted a faint glow, remaining unchanged. Now, his chest and abdomen were bare, revealing a slender, warm-brown wooden figure embedded there. This puppet seemed to have grown from within the "Witch-king," fused with his organs, its eyes and mouth resembling crescent moons, its surface adorned with dried blossoms and withered grass, exuding an eerie stillness under the moonlight. Suddenly, it took on a vivid crimson hue, as though soaked in blood. It then softened visibly, dissolving into a thick, pulpy mass that flowed seamlessly into the "Witch-king's" five viscera and six organs. Within this mass, an arm emerged, its surface glistening with a dark, viscous liquid, bearing a series of strange formations—some like skulls, others with spiky tongues, and others with three-dimensional eyes. "A divine calamity!" The leader of the Rose School, a Sequence-1 being, had materialized through pre-arranged preparations! The malevolent aura that surged forth instantly claimed the lives of the Rose School members and their vassals—some perishing outright, others undergoing sudden transformations, or even turning on their own allies—none escaped unscathed, except for the "Witch-king" himself. ……… Xibairan, a port city. King Karalman, the ruler of the city and a wizard, stood atop the former church of the Night Church, overlooking the sparsely lit city. Nearby, in a house, Emlyn White glanced at Sharon, seated in a chair like a doll, and produced a bronze box set with several red rubies. Inside the box was a glass orb—Emlyn's "Sun" domain, a Level 1 seal item known as "Pure White Vision," obtained through his internal requests within the bloodline. It proved highly effective against half-gods and wizards via the "Other Path," and even exhibited certain counter-effects. Of course, it did not show any mercy or compassion simply because Emlyn and Sharon were among his own exceptional beings. Upon seeing Sharon gently nod, indicating no objections, Emlin suddenly grew translucent, dissolving in the pool of moonlight streaming into the room into shimmering, vivid crimson scales. The unusual phenomenon of the "Red Moon turning white" had left Karalamen feeling the wrath of the "Primordial Moon," and ever since, he had been somewhat uneasy and apprehensive. He had gradually become a devoted follower of the "Primordial Moon" through his study of esoteric knowledge such as the natural interaction method and mystical rituals. Typically, a "Wanderer" (Wanderer) lives to a thousand years with relative ease, but after that, an inevitable decline in physical condition, irreversible aging, and the decay and corruption of their spiritual essence inevitably follow—thus, one thousand two hundred years often represents the natural limit for both the Wanderer and the Blood Countess. To continue living beyond this point, one must rely on various means, such as sealing oneself within a coffin and entering a deep slumber in the depths of an ancient castle. Karalamen's vitality and active energy, even at nearly one thousand four hundred years of age, without any need for reduced activity, stem from gifts bestowed upon him by the "Primordial Moon." This, too, explains his prolonged absence. Later, he received a revelation from the "Primordial Moon" and joined the Rosicrucian Order. In this regard, Calaman has often remained somewhat uncertain—he at times believes that the "Tree of Desire" and the "Primordial Moon" are one and the same, two aspects of a single great being; at other times, he feels that they are not only fundamentally different but even deeply in conflict. This has resulted in the later arrivals to the Rose School, the followers of the "Primordial Moon," consistently receiving insufficient recognition, often receiving only gifts and being assigned to less prominent positions. While Calaman was deeply engaged in sensing the Red Moon, seeking inspiration, patches of fresh, pure light scales began to emerge and gather within the crimson moonlight spilling onto the church bell tower, eventually forming Emlyn White, dressed in a formal suit and wearing a tie. A dense aura of blackness hovered behind him, giving rise to the appearance of ethereal bat wings. — Emlin had already consumed the appropriate potion, eliminating his own scent and spiritual fluctuations, allowing him to approach the target discreetly. Of course, the target was a half-god, a Sequence 4 half-god of the same path; even with all his preparations, he dared not get too close, for he would easily be detected otherwise. He glanced at the window of Karman's room, studied the projection on the glass for a moment, then opened the bronze box set with rubies. With his left hand, wearing black velvet gloves, he lifted the "Eye of Pure White." His expression immediately twisted as he felt the intense pain of being fully exposed to the blazing sunlight. Suppressing this sensation, Emlin brought the translucent, orb-shaped glass sphere close to his right eye. Instantly, all the buildings in the foreground seemed to vanish from his vision, leaving only figures of either cold crimson or fallen, evil hues. Among them, a figure appeared as a massive black vortex, violently devouring the surrounding light and distorting itself. This was precisely Emlyn's objective—the ancient "Lord of the Magic," Calamann. A beam of light instantly surged, forming a scorching, brilliant ray that shot upward from the "Pure Sight," aimed directly at the figure behind the glass window.