Seraphine’s cultivation had hit a hard ceiling: the initial stage of the Martial Saint Great Realm.

  The reason was clear.

  The Ether activity on Earth simply hadn’t risen high enough to sustain her further advancement. The current environment placed a strict upper limit, and she had reached it.

  In truth, as Seraphine’s physical attributes grew and her knowledge deepened, she had begun to suspect—

  Ether might not be what she had once thought.

  It wasn’t merely some unknown, high-energy substance flickering at the microscopic level.

  Nor was it as straightforward as the so-called 【Active Energy】.

  It didn’t behave like some persistent wave of information capable of rewriting genomes or triggering evolutionary cascades in organic life.

  Drawing from countless experiments, Seraphine had begun to see Ether in a new light.

  Using advanced tools and subatomic-scale observation techniques, guided by data gathered through the Eye of True Revelation, she constructed a working hypothesis.

  Ether wasn’t a substance or an energy.

  It was a Phenomenon that transcended matter, energy, and information alike.

  A mysterious force capable of bestowing breathtaking miracles upon the otherwise mundane tapestry of existence.

  To test this radical theory, Seraphine deployed thousands of clones in controlled experiments. Each was designed to test Ether's response to different applied effects:

  Kinetic force.

  Electric current.

  Magnetic fields.

  Vibrational resonance.

  Irradiation.

  Gravitational flux.

  Extreme temperatures.

  No matter the external stimulus, Ether produced real, measurable feedback—each with distinct characteristics.

  Yet despite using her most precise, atomic-level instruments, Seraphine could not observe any fundamental structure to the Ether.

  This left only one conclusion:

  Ether’s fundamental scale lies far beneath that of atoms.

  Stranger still, the mass density and various calculated parameters of Ether didn’t remain stable.

  They fluctuated—wildly and unpredictably.

  Over time, Seraphine discovered that Ether failed to conform to any known signatures of classical energy types.

  It showed no clear patterns like mechanical, electromagnetic, thermal, or nuclear energy.

  And yet—

  Ether could interact with all of them.

  Like an imaginary number in a mathematical system, it straddled the line between presence and absence.

  Abstract, but undeniably real in effect.

  Even more astonishing—

  Seraphine found that once the human body and soul reached a certain threshold, they could directly influence Ether.

  Not through machines, but purely through conscious will.

  Through a black-box mechanism no current theory could explain, the mind and spirit could impose effects on Ether, shaping reality itself.

  Almost like a conversation between the soul and the cosmos.

  And the strangest realization of all?

  Ether seemed to favor life, especially intelligent life.

  It was as if the phenomenon had left an open backdoor.

  After conducting a series of experiments, Seraphine made a critical discovery.

  At present, Ether appears to have only two parameters that can be measured with any precision.

  The first is Ether Activity.

  Unless the ambient Ether Activity reaches a certain critical threshold, any attempts at "contracting" or "channeling" Ether are essentially meaningless.

  Yes, Ether can be absorbed and stored. It can even be manipulated to imitate natural elements—summoning thunderstorms, conjuring flames, or freezing matter.

  But trying to increase the total Ether mass within a given region through accumulation or compression?

  That’s nothing more than a bedtime fairy tale.

  The second parameter is Ether Correlation.

  This refers to the measurable strength of Ether’s interactions—specifically, how strongly it interferes with matter and energy.

  Although Ether cannot be quantified directly in terms of mass, Seraphine had a breakthrough the moment she shifted her perspective.

  Rather than trying to measure Ether itself, she began tracking the effects it had on material and energetic systems.

  Whenever Ether interacted with physical matter or energy fields, it caused subtle, yet measurable, changes.

  These tiny fluctuations could be consistently observed and documented.

  This was a major turning point.

  With this discovery, Seraphine could now control Ether with extreme precision, allowing her to perform high-complexity operations previously thought impossible.

  In some ways, Ether behaves like dark matter: elusive, intangible, and resistant to gathering in one place.

  Of course, this is only a surface-level comparison.

  In truth, the difference between the two is vast.

  But based on the changes sweeping across Earth, one thing was clear:

  The true nature of Ether was almost certainly even more miraculous than that of dark matter.

  Unfortunately, there was still no known method to fully unravel its mysteries.

  Thus, for now, Seraphine could only wait.

  Wait for the completion of the 【Martial Saint Great Realm】 model.

  Wait until she could truly formulate an exact system of cultivation techniques built around it.

  And above all, wait for the next great surge of Ether in the outside world, when its activity spikes once more.

  When that day comes, she will rise in a single morning, crush the Gates of the Nine Heavens beneath her feet, and ascend to the ultimate peak of martial cultivation.

  In the meantime, her relentless Ether research began to stir something else within her.

  The spark of inspiration tied to 【Ether】, which had swirled restlessly in her Ocean of Knowledge, finally ignited.

  It soared into the skies of her mind and merged with the faint crescent of the Martial Saint moon.

  The foundation was laid.

  The first true step toward crafting a complete Martial Saint methodology had begun.

  The mention of the Martial Saint realm stirred a powerful premonition within Seraphine.

  She sensed the realm beyond it would grant abilities far more miraculous than anything she had yet seen.

  These would not be powers born from a simple leap in raw stats and attributes.

  No.

  They would be something different entirely, abilities that could brush against the fundamental laws of the universe.

  Seraphine had always believed that pure strength, whether of body or soul, was not without its flaws.

  There had to be something that surpassed brute force, a power capable of true certainty.

  And indeed, as her body and soul continued their relentless evolution.

  She could feel it.

  The limit of her lifespan.

  A number surfaced with cold precision:

  296,492 years.

  So short.

  So utterly short.

  It disgusted her.

  To Seraphine, a lifespan under 300,000 years was no different than a blink. Even a million, ten million, a hundred million, a billion years.

  Even a timespan long enough for suns to collapse, for black holes to evaporate, for the entire universe to implode in a final cosmic shudder.

  Even that would not be enough to satisfy the boundless, abyssal hunger that drove her.

  What Seraphine sought was not mere longevity.

  She craved true immortality: an eternal existence, free from decay.

  To remain undying across all generations.

  This was the deepest desire of all life, woven into the very fabric of the cosmos.

  It went beyond biology, beyond instinct, even beyond ideology.

  It lay buried in the core logic of existence itself.

  And Seraphine was no exception.

  This relentless refusal to disappear was one of the great engines powering her evolution, her every decision.

  She tilted her head back, her gaze drifting toward the sun, glowing fiercely tens of millions of kilometers away.

  And she whispered to the void:

  “…What was I, before I became 【Me】?”

  “Was I once a lone wisp of soul, wandering across time and space in endless cycles of reincarnation?”

  “Or merely a fleeting bubble, born at random within the great flood of karmic currents?”

  She exhaled slowly.

  Falling into a quiet, indefinite meditation.

  “A long time ago... when I still lived in the old world, if things had followed their natural course...”

  “I would have married some ordinary man. Had an ordinary child. Lived out an ordinary, meaningless life in a haze.”

  “And then... decades later, through accident, or aging, I would’ve died.”

  “Reduced to unconscious, ignorant, useless dust.”

  “That dust, after a few thousand or tens of thousands of years, might take shape again.”

  “Maybe as an earthworm burrowing through the soil. Maybe a microbial colony drifting in the ocean. Or perhaps a shark, a dolphin, a lion or tiger.”

  “Life never truly vanishes. One day, it always finds a way to rise again.”

  Seraphine suddenly turned her head, gazing into the cosmic void, an abyss of endless darkness, and spoke softly:

  “But the real problem is... at the moment of death, I, as 【Myself】...”

  “The sense of being a free, conscious being named 【Seraphine】, my awareness, my mind, my thoughts, will all disintegrate and vanish completely.”

  “Gone without a trace.”

  “The world will forget me, and I will no longer feel anything of this world.”

  “All joy, all regret, will dissolve into the infinite flow of time.”

  Her eyes remained locked onto the vast starry sky, unwavering.

  “That... is the core of it. I’m not afraid of death.”

  “What I fear,”

  “is to no longer be myself.”

  “If I can’t live according to my own will, then how is that any different from true death?”

  Her voice rose, firm, fierce.

  “I won’t bow. I refuse to yield!”

  “This world is cold and cruel. It brings forth endings no one chooses, then forces you, bewildered, powerless, to kneel before them.”

  “That ending... is impermanence.”

  Then, in her eyes, a blazing, unshakable pride erupted:

  “And I, will transcend impermanence!”

  ...

  Time passed.

  Dawn broke once more.

  And Seraphine’s stats continued to climb.

  From the moment she activated her Dimensional Pocket until now, nearly two full days had passed.

  Moreover, during those two days, her true body had never stopped cultivating; every second was pushed to the limit.

  As a result, her attributes had more than quadrupled.

  【Host: Seraphine】

  【Physical Strength: 299.612 billion】

  【Soul: 299.945 billion】

  Her current stats had surged to nearly 300 billion in both body and soul.

  ...

  Several hours later, in the heart of Ashara, Emberlight:

  At the Royal Academy of Sciences, inside the central conference hall.

  A high-level academic symposium on breakthrough materials science was underway.

  Presiding over it: Seraphine herself.

  “…In my experiments,” she explained, “I discovered that through specific techniques and precisely applied external energies, combined with guided Ether, it’s possible to affect various atomic types.”

  “As long as the electron shells of these atoms are continually layered and reinforced, once their structure surpasses a certain critical threshold…”

  “…a stable electric field can be generated, directly at the atomic scale.”

  Seraphine stood at the front, dressed in a pristine white lab coat.

  With a flick of her wrist, she lifted a digital stylus and began lecturing, her tone calm yet authoritative. She pointed smoothly at the vast screen behind her, which was densely filled with cascading data streams, complex graphs, and intricate formulas.

  Below the stage, rows of scientists looked up, occasionally gasping in astonishment or exchanging hushed, excited murmurs.

  After some time, Seraphine paused.

  She turned to face the crowd, her expression as composed as ever. Her voice rang out, clear and confident:

  “…Based on the synthesis and results from a series of experiments, I believe this electric field could trigger a revolutionary breakthrough in the field of material science.”

  The conference hall was packed: hundreds of researchers, all clad in white coats, sat in rapt attention.

  Occasionally, they would jot down notes or sketch diagrams into their notebooks, but their eyes remained fixed on the stage.

  These weren’t just any scientists. They were leading authorities in material science and chemistry across the Emberlight Empire, each one a prominent figure in their own right.

  Yet in front of the girl standing before them, a young woman not even twenty years old, their demeanor was one of absolute humility.

  As though she were the lecturer.

  And they, her students.

  Because long before this academic presentation even began:

  Seraphine had already subdued them with sheer knowledge.

  Her insights were overflowing, her grasp of theory frighteningly deep. No matter how complex or obscure the question, she responded without hesitation, without faltering.

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  There was simply no way to trip her up.

  “…This recent breakthrough,” she continued, gesturing toward the formula matrix behind her, “stems from the electric field produced by Ether. In follow-up experiments, I observed that this field could amplify the chemical bonding energy between molecular structures by three to four orders of magnitude.”

  “This means atoms, under the influence of this field, can reach a theoretical saturation of valence electrons, enabling the formation of super-stable molecular states at the microscopic level. On a macro scale, the resulting substance undergoes an evolution into a phase of extraordinary structural integrity.”

  Seraphine took a step back, allowing the screen to shift.

  A new image appeared: a semi-transparent crystalline block, about the size of a clenched fist. Its surface shimmered with a faint, ethereal glow.

  The room went still. Then—sparkles of recognition appeared in the eyes of every expert present.

  They had an idea what it was.

  Their excitement was palpable.

  Suddenly, one of the elder researchers raised a trembling hand, his voice urgent:

  “Your Highness Heir, did the experiment succeed?!”

  Seraphine gave a soft smile and nodded.

  “Not bad,” she said lightly. “I succeeded.”

  Seraphine raised her hand and pointed toward the beautiful crystalline block displayed in the hologram.

  “What you’re looking at now is Ether-Crystalline Carbyne.”

  BOOM—

  An audible uproar rippled through the audience.

  The scientists below stirred in shock.

  These weren’t amateurs; they were the leading minds of the nation’s materials science field. Professors, pioneers, veterans of atomic-level fabrication.

  How could they not recognize the significance of that name?

  Carbyne.

  A theoretical supermaterial—long hailed as the strongest known substance on Earth.

  Over 200 times stronger than steel, 40 times tougher than diamond, and double the tensile strength of graphene.

  A material spoken of with awe.

  A legend in material science.

  But legend, as always, rarely survives contact with reality.

  Despite decades of research and the most advanced fabrication technologies humanity could muster, Carbyne had only ever been partially realized.

  Its full-scale synthesis was still a dream.

  At best, mere nanoscopic samples were painstakingly coaxed into existence in the most elite labs on the planet.

  Practical applications?

  Barely conceivable.

  There wasn’t even enough to run proper testing protocols.

  Yet now, on the display, this Carbyne sample was massive.

  Visibly, undeniably real.

  Which begged the question:

  Just how advanced was the Carbyne preparation technology held by the Heir?!

  Even more staggering: if this wasn’t ordinary Carbyne, but rather Ether-Crystalline Carbyne, then how much stronger had it become?

  As if reading their collective minds, Seraphine didn’t leave them waiting.

  With perfect calm, she announced:

  “According to rigorous structural stress testing, this block of Carbyne—after Ether-Crystallization—has achieved a two hundred and ninety-seven-fold increase in material strength.”

  Her gaze swept over the astonished crowd.

  “This level of structural integrity has never been recorded on Earth."

  "And I have every reason to believe that Ether-Crystalline materials of this caliber will become crucial to the next phase of human technological advancement.”

  HISSSS~~

  A wave of gasps spread through the hall.

  Just what kind of concept was this?!

  That’s over 60,000 times the strength of steel!

  And it didn’t stop at Carbyne.

  There was a very real possibility that other materials—industrial metals, polymers, ceramics, alloys—could all undergo Ether-Crystallization.

  If researchers could fully decode the mechanisms behind it.

  If the technique could be scaled and distributed.

  Then the implications were world-shattering.

  The entire foundation of Earth’s industrial civilization would be rewritten.

  Let me give you a simple example.

  Take aircraft engines, for instance.

  So far, all modern aircraft engines operate based on the law of conservation of momentum. They generate thrust by burning fuel and expelling high-velocity exhaust gases—essentially throwing mass backward to push the plane forward.

  However, the combustion speed of aviation fuels, and the reaction rates of working fluids in general, have already approached the theoretical limit of how fast molecules can transmit information.

  In other words, under the current framework of known physics, there’s not much room left to increase combustion speed.

  So how do we get more thrust?

  The only remaining option is to burn more fuel.

  But here’s the catch: More fuel demands more oxygen to combust, yet the surrounding air doesn't magically get denser. That’s where high-pressure compressors come in, designed to squeeze more air into the combustion chamber.

  These compressors operate at incredibly high speeds, ramming vast volumes of air into the chamber behind the engine. When fuel is injected and ignited, the resulting combustion produces a fierce jet of high-temperature, high-pressure gas, expelled out the back.

  That’s what propels the aircraft.

  Meanwhile, a turbine located behind the combustion chamber spins up as the hot exhaust gases rush past it. This turbine, in turn, powers the compressor up front via a connected shaft, continuing the cycle.

  The compressor provides the air.

  The combustion chamber burns the fuel.

  The turbine harvests energy from the exhaust to drive the compressor.

  It’s a self-sustaining triangular loop.

  But here’s where it gets extremely technical: The turbine blades, sitting just behind the combustion chamber, are among the most challenging materials to manufacture on Earth.

  Why?

  Because the temperature of the exhaust gases generated from combustion can reach nearly 2,000°C. This hellish jet of heat and pressure slams directly into the turbine blades, which must not only survive but operate continuously under that brutal assault.

  Simply put, the more heat your turbine blades can tolerate, the more fuel your engine can burn, and the more thrust it can produce.

  Which means higher speeds, more payload, and better efficiency.

  In fact, it’s estimated that for every 100°C increase in that section’s temperature tolerance, engine thrust can improve by up to 15%.

  So imagine this: If we replace conventional turbine blades with Ether-Crystalline materials, the temperature threshold could skyrocket, and with it, so would the engine’s performance.

  Aircraft wouldn’t just be faster. They’d be on an entirely different level.

  This is just a small example.

  But from this alone, you can see the future.

  Nearly every industrial field—energy, aerospace, manufacturing—will be revolutionized by the breakthroughs enabled through 《Atomic Ether-Crystallography》.

  A whole new era is dawning.

  ...

  "Your Highness," someone said with awe, "this is essentially a whole new branch of science you have cracked open."

  "This entire direction holds staggering potential."

  "Absolutely Marvelous. The real-world applications are limitless."

  "Your Highness is, without question, a genius!"

  The conference room erupted.

  Everyone was electrified, voices colliding as they debated the massive scope of this new scientific blueprint: 《Atomic Ether-Crystallography》.

  Then, the door nudged open with a soft CREAK.

  A girl stepped inside.

  She wore dark, tinted glasses and carried herself with a quiet, polished grace. Though slightly slender, her bearing and long, elegant legs commanded attention.

  It was clearly Yvienne—the former Secret Service superpower detective, now the Chief Steward of the Heir’s Mansion.

  She leaned forward and whispered softly to Seraphine:

  "Your Highness, we have pinpointed the mastermind behind the hit attempt, along with the assassins’ organization and their full identities."

  "Oh?"

  Seraphine turned, raising a single eyebrow in faint surprise.

  "That was fast. I suppose the Affairs Bureau still has some use after all."

  "Hehe."

  The girl adjusted her glasses, her smile sweet yet razor-sharp.

  "They worked with the Secret Service on this capture. Also, Your Highness, there is one other matter."

  "Following your direct order, the spy unit we sent from the Mansion to shadow the PsyBro Syndicate was sprung and ambushed instantly. The entire team was WIPED OUT—only one girl survived. She is currently—"

  "I have the picture."

  Seraphine shook her head slightly.

  "Wait until this meeting concludes before giving me the full debriefing."

  Yvienne nodded without a word and moved aside, dissolving into a quiet corner of the room, standing still as a deep shadow.

  The academic debate resumed immediately, without missing a beat.

  ...

  In truth, the reason Seraphine pioneered the field of 《Atomic Ether-Crystallography》 was not, at first, merely to develop new material structures.

  The deeper motivation was her exploration into the limits of energy control and storage within martial artists’ aperture points.

  These aperture points serve as the core valves for absorbing external Ether, the control nodes for internal and external energy flow, and even as the crucibles where spirit is refined into steel.

  Thus, their capacity and performance are critical.

  Whether a martial artist below the Martial Saint Great Realm can continue to improve their physical resilience and divine aura hinges on this very question.

  The emergence of Atomic Ether-Crystallography was originally inspired by her work on the activation process of aperture points in the realm of 【Mystic Aperture】.

  Specifically, the third phase of Mystic Aperture, known as the Aether Domain Realm, consists of nine progressive sub-levels.

  Each level requires the activation and refinement of twelve inner aperture points.

  When all nine levels are achieved, the total 108 major aperture points throughout the body will be fully awakened.

  This process is what practitioners call Etherization.

  Through rhythmic frequency infusion and Ether vibration, the aperture points are gradually awakened, undergoing a profound qualitative shift.

  Once this transformation occurs, both strength and the ability to sense or manipulate Ether rise sharply.

  However, unlike the Ether-Crystallization process observed in external materials—where molecules and atoms undergo a crystalline phase change—the Etherization of the body's 108 aperture points is an ultrafine transformation at the energy level. The mechanisms differ greatly.

  Through prolonged study of the intricate electric fields that bind Aurora Clan genetics and superpower matrices, Seraphine was able to merge these insights.

  This synthesis gave birth to the pioneering framework of 《Atomic Ether-Crystallography》.

  And in turn, this pushed her understanding of aperture dynamics to a new level.

  Within her Ocean of Knowledge, the inspiration fish named 【Aperture】 leapt to maturity, its form luminous and complete.

  But a new obstacle soon arose.

  The current energy control and storage capacity of aperture points at the early Martial Saint stage had reached near-absolute saturation. Further refinement was impossible; Etherization had hit its limit.

  Like a bucket already filled to the brim, how do you make it hold more?

  SPLASH!

  Deep within Seraphine’s boundless mental sea, the great fish 【Aperture】 suddenly arced skyward, then plunged into the domain labeled 【Martial Saint Great Realm】.

  Now, only two domains remained unfilled: 【Space】 and 【Mind】.

  The blueprint for advancing into the Martial Saint Great Realm could now begin construction.

  "...It seems any increase in capacity will require intervention from the aspect of 【Space】."

  Seraphine narrowed her eyes, arms folded, falling into quiet contemplation.

  ...

  Seraphine put huge weight on this academic forum concerning new materials.

  Though her research capability—especially backed by her many clones—could match hundreds, maybe even thousands, of top scientists, she knew her limits.

  In just a couple of days, she had already engineered several types of Ether-Crystalline substances.

  But human work, no matter how good, always runs out.

  The world is huge, and the variety of materials within it is endless.

  Even with her power, Seraphine couldn't possibly check every substance for its Ether-Crystallization value, or decide which ones were more scientifically or strategically important.

  Her plan was to use this meeting as a spark—to gather the Emberlight Empire’s best material scientists into a massive, shared project.

  They would test, find, and perfect more Ether-Crystalline stuff.

  And in the end, Seraphine would collect all the rewards from their combined work.

  For now, it was the smartest move.

  ...

  Some time later, the academic meeting officially wrapped up.

  Seraphine, moving with a group of excited researchers behind her, exited the main doors and got into a special car waiting outside the Royal Academy of Sciences.

  Inside, she quickly flipped through a pile of reports Yvienne carefully gave her and asked casually:

  "How many people are currently working for the Affairs Bureau?"

  Yvienne smiled brightly and replied in a sharp, clear voice:

  "Reporting to Your Highness, the Bureau currently has 84 people handling admin and 232 combat staff stationed at the Mansion."

  "Mm," Seraphine nodded. "Still too thin."

  Yvienne quickly added:

  "Following Your Highness's order, we made the benefits for Bureau staff much better. Because of this, many agents from the SS and the MIB are getting ready to quit and transfer to us.

  I'm talking to their leaders now, and we plan another big internal recruitment drive for both those units soon."

  "You don't need to report small details like logistics," Seraphine stated coolly. "Just keep it moving."

  Her tone suddenly sharpened.

  "What about that captured spy? What is her status now?"

  Yvienne’s brow tightened slightly as she answered:

  "Your Highness, the operative survived emergency care, but her condition is still critical.

  More than half her body is wrecked, her insides are almost totally dead, and she's still in a deep coma."

  "Mm. As long as she isn't dead," Seraphine replied, her voice steady. "I will make her... reborn."

  With that, she went back to looking at the papers in her hands.

  Yvienne just pouted a little, her lips curving softly as she sat quietly beside her, saying nothing more.

  The truth was, the moment Seraphine was named Heir, the Heir Affairs Bureau—a dedicated agency for her personal and political life—was created right alongside her rise.

  At the core of this bureau was Yvienne, a natural superpower user.

  She had a rare mix of powers: Empathic Markings, Soul Drawing, and super-fast computation.

  A trusted helper to the Aurenthal Imperial Family for many years, she immediately quit the Secret Service after getting direct orders from the Emperor of Emberlight.

  She brought with her a squad of elite, totally loyal Royal Guards—dozens of agents chosen specifically for their loyalty and ability to keep secrets. They formed the first core of Seraphine’s team, spreading across the empire to run secret missions and carry out her strategic goals.

  Yvienne now runs the Heir’s household—quick, sharp, and completely devoted.

  ...

  "Black Skull Organization..."

  "Chur family... Meira..."

  "PsyBro Syndicate..."

  Seraphine flipped through the secret files in her hands, her eyes showing curiosity and a touch of amusement.

  Some names she could ignore for now.

  But one in particular stood out.

  The boss of Black Skull, who later became famous under the code name ‘Glutton’ Ling, was incredibly valuable.

  In the original story, Black Skull wasn't really a typical assassin group; it was more like a powerful mercenary gang.

  They didn't just take assassination jobs; they ran huge black markets—selling drugs, running phone scams, trafficking organs, kidnapping for money, even dealing illegal weapons.

  They had a deep hold on the southern jungle zones of the Emberlight Empire, acting as the real rulers over several small, unstable states.

  And Ling, the man on top, once fought Kael head-to-head.

  Kael won. But only because of pure luck.

  Ling was a rare mix—both a martial artist and a high-level superpower user.

  His martial arts skills? Seraphine wasn't really impressed.

  But his power? That was interesting.

  After he awoke, Ling’s body grew a weird ability: parts of his flesh could split open into devouring mouths.

  Whenever he wanted, he could grow tens of thousands of needle-sharp teeth all over his body.

  His teeth were unnaturally strong and hard; he could chew through special black steel like it was soft bread.

  But his teeth weren't just for biting. They could also spin, tunnel, eat things, or even change to cover his whole body like armor.

  The changes didn't stop there.

  Ling’s stomach also went through a huge evolutionary jump.

  It could pump out—and then shoot—a chemical scientists call fluoroantimonic acid, nicknamed ‘Devil’s Acid.’

  This isn't just some regular acid.

  It’s the strongest acid known—over a billion times stronger than strong sulfuric acid.

  But that wasn't even the scariest part.

  Deep inside Ling’s twisted gut, a special biological space had formed:

  The 【Gluttonous Space】.

  This tiny dimension showed up as a round area several hundred meters wide—but inside Ling’s body, it took up only a few millimeters of actual space.

  According to the old story records, this gluttonous space was basically a natural way to fold space and biology together, able to squeeze and stretch space itself.

  Its value? Impossible to measure.

  “Clearly, this thing is tied deeply to Space,” Seraphine stated coldly.

  “I need it.”

  There was no room for debate in her voice—whether the other side agreed or not simply didn't matter.

  In the original plot, it was the stomach organ Ling left behind after he died that allowed human scientists to spend over ten years creating the very first versions of spatial storage.

  Decades later, that tech was perfected—it completely changed human civilization and pushed Earth toward the interstellar era.

  Back to now—Seraphine was curious herself.

  How different was Ling’s Gluttonous Space from her own Dimensional Pocket?

  If they shared the same basic rules, then the current limits on the size and number of Dimensional Pockets could be broken.

  But if they were fundamentally different…

  Then the contrast would give her vital clues—deepening her understanding of the Way of Space.

  After just a few seconds of thinking, Seraphine sent her Mental Power out and pushed a thought-message to Vale and Kael, who were riding in a separate vehicle:

  “Tomorrow, take a few trusted agents from the Affairs Bureau and head to Genga Forest in the Khmerion territories. Find the Black Skull boss, Ling. Bring him back alive. Kill everyone else.”

  With the message, she also sent them a memory snapshot—a rough map of the Black Skull base, pulled straight from the Dragonblood story in her mind.

  Inside a similar long, fancy car trailing behind, Vale and Kael got the message.

  They glanced at each other.

  Kael cracked his knuckles, grinning wide.

  “Heh… I just hit Aether Domain – First Layer. Looks like I finally get a real workout.”

  Vale’s expression twitched.

  Even now, he hadn’t broken into the Phantom Armament realm.

  Seriously… the more he thought about it, the more ashamed he felt.

  Shaking the feeling off, Vale said calmly:

  “Since Master wants us to bring Bureau people, she’s clearly using this mission to train them. No need to go crazy. Let them handle the easy fights—you only step in if something really tough shows up.”

  “Huh? Seriously?”

  Kael frowned, muttering, “Tch. Sounds like a drag…”

  The convoy rolled on.

  Inside the lead car, Seraphine closed the last file and turned to Yvienne.

  Looking at the current reports, Xander probably hadn't heard about Meira’s failed hit job yet.

  But even so—he must know his son crossed her.

  So why hadn’t the old man shown up at the Heir’s Mansion to beg forgiveness?

  Yvienne frowned slightly, thinking out loud: “Maybe… he’s still trying to figure out how to apologize properly?”

  “Mm…”

  Seraphine laced her fingers together and leaned back lazily.

  “Then tomorrow night, gather a flexible strike team from the martial staff. Wipe out the Chur family. And before you kill Meira—make sure to say hello for me.”

  She paused, then added with a light sigh:

  “So many people in this world think they’re so smart. But we can't kill every single one of them.”

  “Still… they do make life a bit less boring.”

  “……”

  Yvienne froze stiff.

  For a long moment, she said nothing—then finally whispered:

  “Your Highness, won’t such a public, brutal attack… cause unwanted trouble?”

  “Trouble?”

  Seraphine raised one delicate eyebrow.

  “What kind of trouble?”

  Yvienne didn't answer. She only pressed her lips together—and subtly pointed upward.

  “Ahaha.”

  Seraphine let out a low, cold laugh.

  “You mean those old fossils on the Council?”

  “If they have something to say—tell them to come say it directly to me.”

  Yvienne still held back. “But—”

  “Enough.”

  Seraphine's voice snapped like breaking glass.

  She stared at Yvienne without blinking.

  Only when the girl started to tremble did she continue—softly, but with absolute finality:

  “Remember your role. You manage the Heir’s Mansion. You don't need too many ideas of your own.”

  “And most importantly, never go against my Orders.”

  Yvienne’s heart hammered against her ribs, sweat soaking her spine.

  “Y-yes… Your Highness.”

  Just then, the convoy pulled into the Heir’s Mansion grounds.

  POP—

  Yvienne was the first one out, quickly moving around to open the car door with both hands, bowing deeply.

  Seraphine stepped out with cold grace, patted Yvienne's shoulder, and said mildly:

  “Starting today… learn to be sharper.”

  With that, she put her hands behind her back and walked into the Mansion.

  Yvienne stayed frozen in place.

  A long moment passed.

  Then she let out a quiet breath, whispering to herself:

  “A ruthless heart. A clean sweep.

  Hurry up, Yvienne…

  Match her pace.”