Outside the window, wisteria petals drifted on the wind, scattering a tapestry of color across the ground.
Antanas counted on her fingers.
"Did Talia enter with Lanqi too?"
She could never figure out why the numbers didn't add up.
Even setting aside the five who entered on their end and Lanqi, Tata, and Boss Cat on his, there was still one missing.
"I think, perhaps, yes," Pranay murmured absently to himself.
"If you say so, it usually is..."
Antanas guessed that Pranay's Clairvoyance had likely triggered again, granting him a glimpse of this Shadow World.
Divination was considered the noblest affinity precisely because diviners could always obtain information ridiculously far ahead of time.
As long as Pranay didn't suffer an episode, he was practically a walking cheat code in a Shadow World.
Yet to avoid leaking heavenly secrets and triggering a chain reaction that could distort their visions of the future and the best decisions to counter them, he often chose to speak in riddles.
That tended to drive everyone around him anxious, practically making them want to pluck the truth straight from his mind.
"Pranay, tell the truth. Did you see something even more dangerous, which is why you didn't dare accompany Hyperion to Purgatory City and chose to be the turncoat leader instead?"
Antanas narrowed her eyes, studying Pranay closely.
A few days ago in Nistro City of Thuringia Province, when they were watching an imperial opera performance, Pranay had suddenly vanished.
Antanas had grown suspicious of him back then.
"No, how could I?" Pranay said emotionlessly.
"Isn't it just that Hyperion might run into Lanqi and Talia? What danger is there in that?" Sinora chimed in from the side.
"Uh." Antanas supposed that made sense.
Barring the occasional squabble, the three of them had long since learned how to live in harmony together.
"Then what if Hyperion can't enter the ancestral land in Purgatory City?" The Ice Snow Witch was still lost in thought nearby, worrying about Hyperion.
Although she rarely acted overtly affectionate toward Hyperion on regular days, always maintaining an intellectual and aloof demeanor, she had long treated Hyperion as her precious treasure. Letting Hyperion explore this unfamiliar Demon Realm alone filled her with deep anxiety.
According to the intelligence gathered yesterday by the social butterfly Antanas in Naicalis, the Lord of Blasphemy was an exceptionally sadistic, cruel, and thoroughly amoral great demon. The purer a living being was, the more she yearned to defile and destroy it.
The Ice Snow Witch could see clearly that the Lord of Blasphemy harbored a twisted desire toward Hyperion.
She didn't dare imagine what would happen if Hyperion enraged the Lord of Blasphemy and ended up caught in her clutches.
"It's fine. Talia and the others should be heading that way too." Pranay shook his head.
"Your plan really leaves nothing out." Antanas gave Pranay a thumbs-up in approval.
If Mama Lan was going too, there was nothing to worry about.
"Wait, so you really saw Talia and Lanqi together? Then who's the other challenger?" Antanas frowned, suddenly realizing the implication.
"Good sisters like this won't come around again..." Pranay stood up and walked over to the French window. Looking out at the fluttering wisteria petals, his gaze turned distant as he spoke from the heart.
"I don't get it." Antanas racked her brain, having no idea what Pranay meant.
On the tea table sat Demon Realm refreshments from a different era, delicacies they hadn't even seen in the mortal world.
Cookies studded with rare Demon Realm berries gave off a rich aroma, multi-layered puff pastries filled with precious nuts were crisp and delicious, and three boxes of puddings in various flavors sat alongside them.
"Looks like all we can do is get plenty of rest in Naicalis, then ask Hubao when we return to the mortal world." Saying this, Antanas unreservedly grabbed another piece of pudding and popped it into her mouth to savor it.
Compared to the Shadow World that seemed bound for turmoil, the mortal world was so peaceful that there wasn't any gossip to enjoy at all.
The only thing left to do was review what had happened after the fact.
"Then do the objectives of this Shadow World still have anything to do with us?" The Ice Snow Witch still felt somewhat ill at ease.
She couldn't fathom how Antanas and the others could slack off with such peace of mind.
After not seeing them for so long, the noble pride of these three great demons had been worn away to almost nothing; now, all they wanted was to lie flat or coast along.
"The art of slacking is the science of gaining rank while lying flat in a Shadow World," Antanas explained earnestly to the Ice Snow Witch.
For a support like her to secure a crushing victory, the most crucial thing was usually identifying the carry on the team. But ever since meeting a smurf capable of carrying anyone to heaven, she never had to worry about how to win again.
"Let's just treat this as three weeks of preparation before heading back to the Creti Empire's capital, Brierda, in the mortal world," Sinora said, sitting upright on the sofa and taking a light sip of black tea.
Brierda was the true battlefield.
Being in this Shadow World of the ancient Demon Realm royal capital from ten thousand years ago felt like a dream.
Even as tourists, they would never have imagined visiting such a place.
This treatment was practically on par with being a guest professor at the Protos Royal Magic Academy.
Ever since following Lanqi, they hadn't suffered a bit. Every day felt like visiting an amusement park, requiring them to lift a finger only once in a while. Lanqi would ensure their complete safety, always rushing to the front lines whenever trouble arose.
If a boss like this ever harbored any ambition to become a mastermind and conquer the world, his subordinates wouldn't be able to stop themselves from remaining utterly devoted to him.
Unfortunately, Lanqi was too detached, so free of desire that he hardly seemed human.
"So I really just do nothing, pretend to be utterly loyal to the Lord of Blasphemy, and wait for the Shadow World to tally the results? Are you completely ignoring how contribution ties into the rewards?" The Ice Snow Witch found this method of clearing a Shadow World utterly preposterous.
Even though Hyperion had said from the beginning that she was going to take them on the baby bus, the Ice Snow Witch had assumed it was just a joke. She hadn't expected them to be completely serious.
Pranay had become increasingly bizarre as well; it was almost impossible to tell what he was thinking just by looking at him.
If not for the fact that they were all Shadow World challengers who knew one another's backgrounds and faction alignments, she might have suspected Pranay had turned traitor out of fear of confronting the Lord of Blasphemy.
"I, Antanas, am clean and upright. What do I need so many rewards for? Waiting for the Shadow World's welfare payout is fine by me." Antanas practically wished the Shadow World would remember her as a noob so that if she ever had to challenge another one in her lifetime, it would assign her stronger teammates.
Receiving fewer rewards didn't matter. For demons with long lifespans, clearing a Shadow World alive was already a massive win. A Tier 8 Shadow World's guaranteed minimum reward would boost her from level 81 to 82, which was a bountiful haul in itself.
"Besides, we're not purely slacking off. We've pinned down quite a few great demons in the Demon King's Castle and completely confounded them. As long as only the trolls and the purists remain in this world, universal harmony and unity can be achieved. We're playing a crucial role in the Demon Realm right now." Antanas set down her glass, winked, and leaned back against the sofa with a teasing smile.
It might look like the four of them were the sacrificial pawns, but in truth, they were performing the work of champions.
When the time came, their side's real champion, Lanqi, could lead the workhorse Boss Cat on an unstoppable slaughter.
"So Almis, don't worry. Just cruise along with us. When the Goddess of Fate wants you to win a match, it's hard to lose even if you try," Antanas comforted the Ice Snow Witch.
This time, the Goddess of Fate had laid all her cards on the table and assigned a literal hacker to carry them. What was there to worry about?
"Fine." The Ice Snow Witch picked up her teacup, parted her vermilion lips, and took a sip of the fragrant flower tea.
She gave in.
At worst, she would be teased a bit by Talia once they got out.
Seeing that Antanas and the others had degenerated to this degree, the Ice Snow Witch believed the noble Demon Princess Talia was already well accustomed to such sights.
"You're right, Almis. We might only be relevant to the third objective," Pranay remarked after some thought.
Looking at the Shadow World notifications overlapping with the glass pane, he agreed.
[Quest Objective 1: Protect the small spark left behind by Caliera.]
[Quest Objective 2: Understand the mental state of Lankeluosi of the Black Sun: 2.71%. (Incomplete)]
[Quest Objective 3: All challengers must survive until the end of the 21-day time limit.]
Meanwhile, hundreds of kilometers away from the Demon King's Castle of Naicalis.
Hyperion was also looking at the newly updated Shadow World information.
This place was far from the bustle of Naica Island and Lis Island. As far as the eye could see, the land was carpeted with vibrant wildflowers swaying in the breeze. Beneath the cliff lay a boundless abyss veiled in swirling clouds and mist that seemed to stretch to the horizon.
She felt deeply worried.
The periodic fluctuations in the second quest objective gave her an instinctive sense of foreboding.
To her mind, understanding the mental state of Lankeluosi of the Black Sun was by no means a good thing.
The Black Sun Lord was an entity that had endured far too much inhumane torment; no one knew what kind of state he would be in when the curtain fell.
If there was anyone who could understand the Black Sun Lord most swiftly, it had to be Lanqi, who was currently playing his role.
What lay at the end of that understanding?
Hyperion was terrified.
No matter what, she did not want Lanqi to fall into the black sun.
Hyperion shook her head vigorously and pressed firmly forward.
They were fated companions; she would always support Lanqi and bring peace to his heart.
The fresh air was fragrant with the scent of flowers and grass.
Amid this sea of flowers on the cliffside, Hyperion carefully followed the route Pranay had indicated, traveling toward Purgatory City Pasqual.
After journeying several more kilometers, Hyperion found a flat rock and sat down. She took a clean handkerchief from her pack and carefully placed the little gray kitten from her bosom onto it.
The little creature hadn't made a sound the entire way, curling quietly in her embrace, its gem-like eyes warily sizing up their surroundings.
Hyperion had been so worried about whether the kitten was alright that she kept taking it out from her chest to check on it.
"Tamisha, time to eat," Hyperion said softly to the tiny gray kitten, afraid of frightening her.
"..."
The gray kitten acted lifeless, paying Hyperion no heed.
Hyperion sensed that until she built a good relationship with Tamisha, seeing her demon form would be out of the question.
Before dropping her guard, Tamisha would refuse to revert to her demon appearance under any circumstances, determined to keep pretending to be a cat even if it killed her.
It was only early this morning that Hyperion had heard the details Antanas had uncovered regarding Tamisha.
When Tamisha's mother, True Night Lord Esmod, was pregnant with her, Tamisha's father, Mist Lord Orion, had already fallen on the front lines.
Later, when the Blood Clan breached the Demon King's Castle of Naicalis, True Night Lord Esmod carried out her duty as a great demon to defend the city, sustaining severe wounds while carrying her children.
To allow the poor children of the True Night Lord and the Mist Lord to be born safely, Caliera had parted with some of her primordial life-soul and bestowed it upon the True Night Lord.
After giving birth to the twin sisters, True Night Lord Esmod passed away shortly thereafter.
The older sister, being livelier and naturally friendlier toward demons, was fostered under the care of the retired Thunder Lord.
The younger sister, colder and distant toward all demons, was raised personally by Caliera.
Yet Caliera was consumed with the affairs of the Demon Realm and often had to leave her alone in the Demon King's Palace.
Over time, she curled up into a corner, gradually becoming a little cat that would spend entire days without moving.
Soon after, Caliera disappeared as well.
There was no one left to look after the child.
Hyperion knew Caliera was by no means an irresponsible demon. Something must have happened that left her powerless to return to the Demon King's Castle. Even in death, she had longed for Tamisha, dying with regret and worry.
Just thinking about it made Hyperion's heart ache.
"Tamisha, you must be hungry, right?" Hyperion said, pulling some dried meat from her pack.
She figured Tamisha hadn't eaten in a very long time.
"Once we reach the ancestral land, we'll be safe. Let's fill your belly first." Hyperion looked up at the sky, where several wild Demon Realm dark pigeons circled overhead, crying out.
White mist drifted between the valleys, blurring the silhouettes of the rocky ridges.
Hyperion had briefly considered shooting down a pigeon to eat, but remembering she still had rations on hand, she let the thought go.
"Here, try this. I brought it especially for you."
Yet when Hyperion offered the dried meat to the tiny gray kitten, the little creature turned its head away ungratefully, its eyes brimming with disgust and mistrust.
"Sigh, I won't hurt you..." Hyperion sighed helplessly.
The gray kitten probably harbored an intense dislike toward her because she carried a faint trace of mana similar to that of the Lord of Blasphemy.
Hyperion pondered for a moment, then took a small bottle from her pack.
The bottle was filled with fresh goat's milk.
"You have to eat to survive. You're the continuation of Caliera's life; you can't let your life go to waste," Hyperion coaxed gently, carefully bringing the mouth of the bottle to the tiny kitten's lips.
"Good girl, open up. I'll feed you."
The little gray kitten seemed to hesitate.
Still, it refused to part its lips.
Seizing the chance, Hyperion used gentle force to pry open its mouth, carefully feeding the goat's milk drop by drop.
Watching the kitten's throat bob as it fed while letting out soft purrs, Hyperion couldn't help but smile.
"What a stubborn little one."
She stroked the tiny gray kitten affectionately.
If there were a little gray cat like this in the mortal world, she would surely be healed by it every single day.
"Cough, cough!"
Just as Hyperion's mind wandered, the kitten started coughing.
Hyperion started, realizing she had fed it too quickly without letting it catch its breath, causing it to choke.
"...!"
The kitten swiped the milk bottle away with a paw, glaring fiercely at Hyperion.
It had realized by now: this demon woman wasn't evil, but she truly had no idea how to take care of demons.
"Sorry, sorry! I really didn't mean to!" Hyperion quickly apologized to the tiny gray kitten.
She hung her head guiltily.
Watching Tata take care of people in the past hadn't seemed difficult at all, but trying it herself made her realize she couldn't even feed a child properly.
What would happen if she became a mother in the future? She couldn't very well ask Tata to raise her child for her.
Hyperion resolved to start by taking good care of the little gray kitten to improve her maternal skills.
She carefully began feeding the kitten once more.
When she returned to the mortal world, she figured it would be best to find a kitten that could substitute for an infant to practice feeding milk. A veteran cat like Boss Cat wouldn't do; she needed a mischievous, adorable domestic cat.
Hyperion thought to herself.
After a clumsy feeding session, Hyperion used a handkerchief to wipe the kitten's mouth thoroughly, making sure no milk residue remained.
Then, she scooped the kitten back into her bosom.
"All right, time to move out."
Hyperion took a deep breath and looked toward the distant, faintly visible landscape of the Demon Realm, her eyes sparkling with determination.
"There's still a long way to go."
She stood up, brushed the dust from her skirt, hoisted her pack, and continued forward.
The mountain path twisted and wound, steep and treacherous at times, gentle and smooth at others.
Hyperion carefully skirted sharp rocks and brambles, slipping along the concealed trail.
Along the way, she glanced down from time to time, watching the little gray kitten in her arms with a gaze full of warmth.
The little creature seemed to be full, curled up into a ball of fluff and sleeping soundly against Hyperion's chest, leaving only the sound of soft breathing and the occasional faint murmur.
Based on her experience with Shadow Worlds, different quest objectives would inevitably converge in the end. Perhaps Caliera had left something behind in Purgatory City, and this tiny gray kitten was the key—Lanqi would likely need its help.
*Corridors, Corridors... will we truly return there one day?*
Hyperion said silently in her heart, clenching her fist.
*Don't worry, Lanqi. See you in Purgatory City.*
She would deliver Caliera's little spark to him.
She remembered Lanqi once saying his greatest regret was not being able to hang out more with her at Purgatory Corridors Academy.
In truth, she had always wanted to roam freely with Lanqi through that school as well; it was only out of concern for her moral merits that she had never told him.
Perhaps this time, that wish would actually come true.
Thinking of that person, Hyperion's gaze softened immensely.
She picked up her pace, pressing forward in the direction of Purgatory City.
The mountain wind howled, whipping her silver hair and cloak.
The figures of the young woman and the cat gradually vanished among the overlapping peaks, leaving behind only a faint, misty silhouette.
Chapter 773