Mei and her group went straight to the station, purchasing their train tickets on the spot, making it impossible to predict which train they'd board.

  The whistle blew, and as the train accelerated out of the station, a bizarre-looking bird swooped down from the sky, flying towards the front of the train.

  However,

  Despite the train's speed, several troublemakers managed to board, quietly circling Mei's carriage.

  Secretly,

  These individuals searched the entire train several times, failing to find the third-generation Songyun Katana. They could only continue to focus their attention on Sachès and her companions.

  "The sword isn't on the train."

  "Sachès, this is troublesome."

  Bang!

  As they whispered, the carriage door was kicked open, Blaise's unsettlingly cheerful smile greeting them, causing several to shudder.

  "Bored. I'll amuse myself with you."

  Then,

  The carriage door closed, silencing all sound. A terrifying stillness reigned until, after a while, Blaise emerged as if nothing had happened.

  He wiped some blood from his face, a predatory glint in his eyes, and began toying with his prey on the train.

  These ordinary people, lacking even Willpower, dared to plunge into this maelstrom. They were utterly reckless, courting their own demise.

  In the first-class carriage,

  Mei held a newspaper, calmly reading the sidebars, occasionally showing interest and smiling faintly.

  A while later,

  Blaise, reeking of blood, returned to the carriage. Sullivan sensed something about Blaise's aura, or perhaps presence would be a more fitting term.

  He was increasingly curious about this aura. Just as Sullivan was about to ask, Sachès stood up and said, "Everyone, we should change carriages."

  Then,

  They disembarked at the next station, transferring to a large cargo ship at a port, sailing away from the coast towards an unknown destination.

  Sachès had remained silent about their destination, and the third-generation Songyun Katana had yet to appear. This wasn't a transport operation; it was more like a group tour.

  At the port,

  A mechanical bird, the size of a large pigeon, landed on a middle-aged man's shoulder, its small attached key slowly turning.

  "A veteran's experience is truly remarkable."

  The middle-aged man watched the large cargo ship sail away. He hadn't expected Sachès to change course mid-journey; by the time he reacted, she was already gone.

  This man, Lollow, was not only exceptionally powerful but also the leader of a mercenary group. Unlike other run-of-the-mill mercenaries, Lollow's group included many Willpower Awakeners, making them exceptionally strong.

  They operated frequently on various battlefields across different nations, possessing combat capabilities far beyond typical Willpower Awakeners. Sachès had carefully avoided a confrontation with them.

  "Leader, what do we do?"

  "Don't worry."

  Lollow remained calm and unhurried, lowering his binoculars and turning to leave. "They won't escape. A delayed confrontation is fine. Let's see who else is involved. Let's watch the show first."

  On the cargo ship,

  Splash!

  The barely perceptible sound of water mingled with the incessant roar of the sea. A figure, powerful as a swimming fish, leaped from the water, scaling the cargo ship's deck in a few swift movements.

  A soaking wet old man revealed himself. He thought his movements were stealthy and undetected, but the moment he landed on deck, he found himself face-to-face with four pairs of eyes.

  "..."

  The air grew heavy with silence.

  He froze for a moment.

  Then, in an instant, he made the most accurate judgment and swiftly lunged towards Mei, the speed of his movement generating a sonic boom.

  Bang!

  The compressed air exploded. The old man's figure flickered, seemingly teleporting directly in front of Mei. Escape was impossible; surrendering his back to the enemy was his only option.

  He had to gamble on capturing one of them to buy himself a chance of survival. This kid, lacking any Willpower, seemed the easiest target.

  Kid,

  Too bad for you!

  Seeing this,

  Sachès and Blaise exchanged knowing glances. This old man had terrible luck; he could have chosen anyone but Mei—the strongest among them.

  "Aure, watch out!"

  Sullivan shouted.

  Sachès acted immediately. Blaise could only stare, eager to see how Mei would fight.

  Truthfully, none of them had ever seen Mei fight, and Blaise was intensely curious about her skills and strength.

  Whizz!

  The old man reached out to grab Mei, but to his astonishment, his hand passed right through her. She was clearly before him, yet felt infinitely distant.

  Mei's unconcerned gaze remained fixed on the old man.

  That distance was something he'd spent a lifetime unable to bridge. The old man couldn't comprehend this. Before he could take another action, his consciousness plunged into darkness.

  Crack!

  The world seemed to skip a few frames. No one could see what happened; only a cold, sharp sound was heard before the old man's neck snapped.

  His body fell into the sea.

  A splash followed.

  Throughout, Mei remained motionless. Sachès, who had been about to intervene, remained frozen in place. Blaise, straining his eyes, couldn't make out what had just transpired.

  "Incredible!"

  Sullivan murmured in amazement.

  Blaise frowned.

  "What did she just do?"

  Each glimpse into Mei's power was shocking. While this wasn't as impactful as witnessing her obliterate the Long, it was still terrifying.

  They had no idea how much stronger Mei could become.

  Then,

  Sullivan voiced his long-held confusion to Sachès, unable to contain himself after witnessing Mei's extraordinary abilities.

  "Mr. Sachès, why do I feel such a unique aura around you? I'm certain it's not just my imagination!"

  "Hahaha."

  Sachès laughed. "You finally figured it out, haven't you?"

  Hearing this,

  Sullivan's eyes lit up, filled with excitement.

  "You know the reason?"

  "Indeed."

  With that, a faint Willpower emanated from Sachès, her presence suddenly becoming intensely powerful—a change Sullivan could physically feel.

  Sachès spoke calmly, echoing the words of her mentor: "You sensed that aura, right? That's called Willpower."

  "Willpower?"

  "Yes. A power born from mental willpower and life force. It allows one to possess a physique and combat strength far exceeding the ordinary. Those without Willpower cannot be considered strong."

  This world's harsh environments and monsters were insurmountable for ordinary people. Without Willpower to enhance their physique and combat ability, an adventurer's achievements would be extremely limited.

  Not everyone who awakened Willpower became strong, but all strong individuals could proficiently control and utilize Willpower.

  "The stronger your Willpower, the stronger your will and physique. Training these two allows for rapid Willpower improvement. If you find a way to enhance your Willpower, your willpower and physique will naturally be strengthened accordingly."

  "Sensing and awakening are only the most basic entry requirements. Beyond that, you must learn many Willpower control techniques to make your Willpower more combat-effective."

  "Like this,"

  Blaise clenched his fist, a faint Willpower emitting a resounding boom. He explained, "I've developed techniques that allow my Willpower to powerfully erupt, not only strengthening my physical power but also creating explosive and concussive effects when released."

  Sullivan's eyes gleamed with unusual excitement.

  "Mr. Blaise, could you teach me how to master Willpower?"

  He wanted to become stronger.

  "Of course."

  Blaise didn't refuse.

  Sullivan already possessed a strong physique and willpower. Once he learned how to sense Willpower's presence, he could quickly master it.

  Three days later,

  Faint Willpower appeared around Sullivan. From that moment, his perception of the world underwent a dramatic transformation.

  His senses sharpened; he could perceive the auras of others, particularly their Willpower, with greater intensity and clarity.

  Blaise instructed, "In combat, don't over-rely on your senses. Learn to sense your opponent's aura, using Willpower to anticipate their movements and attacks. This is a fundamental skill."

  "Understood."

  Sullivan attempted to sense Blaise's Willpower. His heightened senses, already unusually sharp before awakening, had vaguely detected Willpower.

  Now he could clearly perceive Blaise's aura. Only one person was an exception; he couldn't sense Mei's Willpower.

  "Why can't I sense Aure's Willpower? To me, she seems like an ordinary person, completely lacking Willpower."

  "But you've witnessed her power, haven't you?"

  "Yes."

  "That's the difference."

  Blaise looked on in awe. "Some people can conceal their Willpower. If your strength is far inferior, you can't perceive their almost imperceptible aura."

  "Aure is that strong?!"

  Sullivan was speechless. He'd known Mei was strong, but lacked a concrete understanding. Now, he'd finally entered a new world, realizing that even Blaise couldn't keep up with her. And he, a novice, was far from Blaise's level.

  "Whoa—"

  Thinking of this, Sullivan couldn't help but be shocked. How powerful must Mei be!

  The dock.

  A long fishing line dropped into the water, the hook dragging below. Mei held the fishing rod, quietly gazing at the water, silently attempting to manifest Ideal through all telekinesis.

  Invisible ripples stirred silently in the void. Truth Manifestation continuously revealed various Willpower Vessels in this world, but the results were unsatisfactory.

  Mei hadn't held high expectations; it was merely a test.

  All telekinesis and Ideal were similar in their manifestations, but there was one crucial difference: for the same grade, Ideal sometimes possessed greater explosive power.

  Ideal was powerful because it was subjective, unbound by individual or worldly limitations. Sometimes, Ideal could irrationally break through those limitations.

  This was the core difference between all telekinesis and Ideal.

  For example,

  Limited by Mei's current strength, both Causality Manipulation and Truth Manifestation were capped at Tier 7; she couldn't break this limit.

  Ideal was different.

  If an individual's willpower was strong enough, Ideal could surpass this limitation, allowing Mei to break through the constraints of world rules and concepts, exhibiting Tier 8 power at Tier 7.

  A purely subjective willpower could break through world and conceptual, even Grade limitations—a phenomenon defying all logical explanation.

  In the face of Ideal, the most extreme and illogical things could happen; natural laws and common sense could lose their effect at any moment.

  Ideal was that kind of power, which is why Mei wanted to master this formidable force.

  Truth Manifestation, ultimately, was still a form of telekinesis; it was clearly limited by its own rules. Even if it revealed others' Willpower Vessels, those vessels were still fundamentally constructed based on telekinesis.

  Therefore,

  This attempt had failed.

  Splash!

  At that moment, a splashing sound echoed. A tall, slender, and cold young woman emerged from the water, quietly climbing onto a cargo ship's deck.

  "..."

  Mei ignored her, pretending not to see.

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  The girl had no intention of harming anyone; she deliberately avoided Mei's gaze, sneaking into the ship's hold. Moments later, a commotion erupted from within.

  "Thief!"

  "Quick, catch her!"

  For a moment,

  Chaos reigned in the hold. The girl was chased onto the deck by a group of sailors. She tossed whatever she was carrying overboard, then dived into the sea.

  By chance, Mei was sitting nearby.

  Before falling into the water, the girl looked strangely at the completely unmoved fisherman, then disappeared into the sea, her figure quickly vanishing from sight.

  Not long after,

  Blaise and Saches, along with Sullivan, arrived on the deck. Blaise inquired, "She stole a Tatra civilization artifact—a sacred relic, they say."

  The crew described a young woman with long blue hair. Saches, knowledgeable and familiar with those who freely traversed the ocean, made a reasonable deduction.

  "Probably someone from the ancient Tatra nation. The war destroyed their country, and many stolen artifacts remain scattered. They're likely reclaiming their belongings."

  Sullivan leaned over the ship's railing, gazing at the water's surface. Mei had been sitting there for a long time. Sullivan wanted to comment on how fast the ship was moving, making it difficult to catch any fish.

  "Aure, any luck with the fishing?"

  The bucket beside Mei was empty, yet she nodded.

  "Soon."

  Time on the ship was somewhat tedious. Within a few days, the number of people on the deck grew from one to four. A series of long fishing lines dropped into the churning waves, pulled along by the cargo ship.

  "Fish!"

  "Something's biting!"

  A school of fish swam by, causing several to quickly reel in their lines, only to pull up empty hooks.

  ...

  【Repair Progress: 14,042/100,000】

  After spending some time cruising along the coast on the heavy cargo ship, they encountered a few overconfident troublemakers, but nothing significant occurred.

  Until one day.

  When the cargo ship passed a coastal port, Saches decided to disembark. The group jumped into the sea, swam ashore, and exited the port.

  While they all jumped into the sea, Saches and the others were quite impressed by Aure's ability to walk on water, and Sullivan's admiration for Mei grew.

  After reaching the shore, Saches and Blaise shook the seawater from their bodies. With their powerful killing intent, they sensed a considerable amount of Willpower in the area.

  Saches removed his tie.

  "I'll take the left side."

  "I'll take the right."

  Blaise's eyes shone with a fierce light, a gleeful smile on his lips. With that, the two vanished into the crowd, preparing for a bloody feast.

  In the distance,

  Lollow, who had arrived at the port earlier and set an ambush, grinned. "Looks like fate favors me. We've caught them."

  A sniper perched on a rooftop, using a certain technique to imbue a bullet with Willpower. The scope's crosshairs were fixed on Mei's forehead.

  They were mercenaries; firearms were the most efficient killing method. Unless absolutely necessary, Lollow and his men wouldn't engage in close combat.

  "Leader."

  "Eliminate everyone except Saches."

  "Understood."

  Receiving the order, the sniper squeezed the trigger. His exceptional dynamic vision allowed him to see the bullet, traveling at supersonic speed, piercing the air.

  This bullet, imbued with specialized Willpower, could pierce even a Willpower Awakener protected by a Willpower shield.

  However,

  Despite appearing completely unguarded, Mei simply tilted her head, dodging the bullet, which instead gouged a small hole in the dock's surface.

  "?!!"

  The sniper's pupils constricted. Before he could react, he instinctively reloaded and aimed again.

  But,

  Bang!

  A fragment of flying debris struck the sniper in the head, instantly killing him. This was debris propelled by Saches during his fight with the others.

  Another casualty met his end swiftly. The sniper's lifeless body slumped, tumbling from the rooftop.

  Before Lollow could react, the sniper's bloody corpse landed before him. His expression remained unchanged as he looked up.

  The moment their eyes met, Mei's entire body seemed to radiate an unnerving aura. A chilling sense of death washed over Lollow, his brain overwhelmed.

  "I thought Saches was the main course, but there's a bloodthirsty beast hidden here. Interesting. Kid, you've rekindled my long-dormant bloodlust…"

  Boom!

  Before he could finish speaking,

  Lollow was sent flying, utterly unable to withstand the terrifying force that struck him, smashing through more than five hundred meters of buildings.

  Without a moment's hesitation.

  Death was inevitable; Mei showed no mercy. Opponents couldn't even choose how they died; it was entirely up to Mei's whim.

  Lollow had envisioned a grand performance, but his incredibly bad luck had brought a swift end to his life.

  Bang!

  Lollow slammed into the far wall, his body exploding in a rain of blood—a horrific scene. Blaise stood at the end of the trail, staring at the five-hundred-meter-long path of destruction.

  "..."

  Honestly,

  It was terrifying. A deafening boom echoed throughout the entire port, instantly creating this horrifying scene.

  Those who had been planning to attack quickly abandoned their intentions, their faces pale with fear as they fled. Against such power, they didn't have enough lives to spare.

  Mei walked calmly, Sullivan trailing behind, gazing at the trail of destruction—hundreds of meters long, shattering buildings.

  He gaped in astonishment.

  Was this still human power?!

  Sullivan's worldview was violently shaken. He knew Willpower could make people stronger, but this scene far exceeded his imagination.

  Recalling the chilling moment, even just sensing the residual power of the blow, Blaise still felt a lingering fear.

  He asked Mei, "Who was that unlucky guy?"

  Mei replied,

  "Lollow."

  Lollow…

  Blaise knew; this was a madman of war. They had clashed in the Aelke Kingdom. Lollow had tried to recruit him as a mercenary, but Blaise had refused.

  He had felt Lollow's Willpower—a dangerous man. Today, Lollow had used his life to show Blaise Mei's power.

  Blaise silently thanked his lucky stars he hadn't sought death.

  These minor skirmishes were like child's play to Mei. She felt no excitement or thrill.

  The sudden commotion at the port ended as quickly as it began; the would-be troublemakers dared not cause further disturbance. Mei and her group easily left the port.

  A few days later.

  Euc Kingdom.

  In a flower garden filled with birdsong and blossoms, a woman in an elegant red dress sat gracefully on a chair. The table held exquisite pastries and top-tier red tea.

  "Your Highness."

  A maid hurried over.

  Coria's delicate features were breathtakingly beautiful, seemingly the pinnacle of beauty in this world. Even a slight frown could inspire adoration.

  The maid dared not meet her gaze, bowing her head.

  "Lollow is dead."

  "How?"

  As the Euc Kingdom's first princess, even as a woman, Coria possessed an overwhelming presence compared to other princes.

  Barring any unforeseen circumstances, she would become the kingdom's first queen.

  Coria secretly wielded considerable power. Lollow's mercenary group was one of her blades; Lollow's strength was not to be underestimated.

  Killing him wouldn't be easy.

  "Following your Highness's orders, Lollow went to retrieve the third-generation Songyun Katana for you and was killed by a newly inducted adventurer named Aure."

  "A newcomer?"

  "Yes. According to the mercenaries, his strength was extraordinary, likely surpassing even Saches. Furthermore, the third-generation Songyun Katana has yet to resurface."

  Coria remained unmoved, merely opening an ancient book resting on her lap. This was a powerful artifact from a certain ruin; it could reveal the detailed information and secrets of anyone, based on the holder's intent.

  Initially, Coria only wanted to learn more about this new adventurer. Gradually, however, her expression changed.

  She turned the pages of the ancient book. It only recorded the name Aure. She appeared suddenly in Sea Town, then passed the Adventurer's Guild examination, becoming a new adventurer.

  No other information was available.

  Aure's past experiences and secrets in Sea Town were completely absent. She appeared as if spontaneously ejected from a stone.

  Even if she had been ejected from a stone, the record would be in the books, but it wasn't. She simply appeared, a blank slate.

  Unfathomable.

  As for why the ancient book didn't contain other information or secrets about Mei, it was simply due to the book's inherent limitations.

  The book was a powerful artifact, but its power wasn't limitless. It couldn't breach the world's barriers to peek into Mei's past from the infinite worlds.

  Furthermore,

  Mei's true nature was a Tier 6 Void Demon God, possessing the Fragment of Truth. The ancient book couldn't access information of that level.

  Therefore, it only revealed Mei's ordinary traces in this world up to the present. Called an artifact, it was essentially a Tier 3 item.

  This world was filled with artifacts, magical weapons, and demonic tools, with intimidating names, but in reality, they were just weapons and items with special effects; very powerful for this world, that is.

  Against someone like Mei, they were insignificant.

  Coria had never encountered such a situation. Rare ripples stirred in her calm eyes, and she became intensely curious about this person.

  A faint smile played on her lips.

  Coria had a peculiar hobby. She not only loved collecting powerful artifacts and items but also enjoyed recruiting powerful individuals to serve under her.

  Such a powerful person would be a valuable asset. Without external tools, no one under her could easily defeat Lollow.

  "Prepare. I'm going out."

  "Yes, Your Highness."

  The attendant bowed and withdrew.

  Both Mei and the third-generation Songyun Katana were worth a personal visit from Coria. Despite her refined and noble demeanor, her strength was undeniable.

  ...

  The summer heat was oppressive.

  The blinding sun hung high in the sky, causing the air to shimmer. Gentle breezes carried wave after wave of heat, leaving people drenched in sweat.

  Along the roadside, the incessant chirping of cicadas filled the air.

  "Whew—"

  A group of people walked along a small path. Saches and the others were suffering from the heat. Sullivan stuck out his tongue, sweat dripping from his brow; his entire body was dark with perspiration.

  Soon,

  They spotted a young man carrying a heavy load running past. In the distance, a small town appeared faintly. Saches said, "Let's rest there for a while."

  Immediately,

  Sullivan felt a slight tremor in his spirit; if he continued in this heat, he'd surely suffer heatstroke. The group quickened their pace, finding lodging in a small inn in the town.

  Sunset.

  Mei sat alone in the inn's courtyard when she saw the young man who'd been carrying the heavy load sneaking in, heading straight for her.

  "You're the strongest among them, right?"

  A precocious child.

  Mei found it somewhat amusing.

  "How can you tell?"

  "I saw you earlier. The other three were sweating profusely, even if they weren't tired, but you didn't show any signs of fatigue or sweat."

  The child's observation skills were quite good. It was their first meeting, yet neither seemed to mind. Mei, impressed, asked further.

  "So what?"

  "Compared to the people in this town, aren't you exceptionally strong? I've never left this town; I don't know what the outside world is like."

  "Consider it so."

  Mei nodded.

  "That's great!"

  At that moment,

  The young man's eyes lit up. Without further ado, he unleashed a powerful punch, but Mei effortlessly blocked it.

  She remained seated, unmoved, amused by the child's antics.

  "You have quite a punch; your strength isn't bad."

  "Of course! My future is to be a great adventurer. Without considerable strength, how can I face those terrifying monsters!"

  With that said,

  The young man tried to retract his fist, but Mei held it fast, preventing movement. He reluctantly attempted a sideways kick, only to be stopped again by Mei's hand.

  Bang!

  An explosion of air echoed.

  A sharp gust of wind ruffled Mei's hair, but she remained unfazed. The young man's face turned crimson with exertion. Mei released his fist, and the young man instinctively clutched his leg, rolling on the ground.

  He cried out in pain.

  "It hurts so much!"

  "What are you made of? How can you be so strong?"

  "Hahahahahaha."

  Mei watched, laughing heartily. "Kid, if you want to test your strength against me, you've got at least a hundred thousand years to go. Go back and train some more."

  The young man was simple-minded, without malice. He simply believed that defeating a recognized strong person would prove his own strength.

  Such naivete.

  He was, after all, just a child.

  However,

  To be fair,

  The young man's physical training was genuinely excellent, and he possessed considerable talent, his physique far exceeding that of an ordinary person. Awakening his Willpower would be a matter of time.

  Defeated, the young man took a deep breath and stood up, rubbing his leg. His eyes darted around, then he decided on a different approach, shamelessly stating, "How about you take me as your apprentice?"

  "Go bother someone else."

  Mei picked up the child and tossed him out of the courtyard. The child, crying and wailing, was relentless, but Mei ignored him.

  Then,

  She looked up at the sky.

  Boom!

  A lightning bolt streaked from the sky, striking the courtyard. The lightning flash quickly dissipated, leaving an elegant and graceful figure in the courtyard.

  It was Coria.

  Instantly,

  The inn's windows were shattered. Three figures, sensing the disturbance and reacting to the Willpower, took evasive action.

  Tzzz—

  Sparks and lightning crackled. Coria glanced at the three figures, her form transforming into lightning in an instant, striking them with terrifying speed, almost indistinguishable from true lightning.

  Bang!

  Bang!

  Bang!

  Three figures crashed to the ground, creating three large craters. Coria was still surrounded by azure lightning, resembling a thunder god.

  She looked at Mei, extending a hand, revealing the domineering and decisive nature of a powerful being—the bearing of a ruler.

  "A strong individual like you shouldn't waste your talents. Why not serve me?"

  Mei felt a slight sense of boredom.

  "Not interested."

  Coria, supremely arrogant, smiled beautifully. "That's not up to you. You only have the choice of submission."

  "Cough cough!"

  Saches, suppressing his injuries, struggled to his feet, his face grim. "Your Highness Coria, do you know what you're doing?"

  He recognized her instantly—the first princess of the Euc Kingdom. This domineering, iron-fisted princess was renowned not only in the Euc Kingdom but also in other countries.

  Coria ignored Saches' question. "We can discuss the matter of the third-generation Songyun Katana later. I have more pressing matters to attend to right now."

  "Oww—"

  "That must have hurt!"

  Sullivan and Blaise winced in pain. A single strike had defeated them. The woman's strength clearly surpassed their capabilities.

  All they could do was hope Mei was strong enough.

  Saches' face was grim.

  He said nothing.

  He hadn't expected Her Highness Coria of the Euc Kingdom to personally intervene, nor had he anticipated her strength to be this formidable.

  This was a princess!

  And it wasn't enough to just deal with her; sensing nearby auras, Saches' expression darkened further. He felt the presence of numerous Willpower Awakeners.

  "Submission?"

  Mei found Coria's confidence excessive. Her aura, coupled with her immensely powerful Willpower, truly matched her regal bearing.

  She was simply unlucky.

  Mei would never submit to anyone; Coria had no right to utter those words before her.

  Silence fell.

  A suffocating aura enveloped them; the sky rapidly darkened. An overwhelming sense of pressure caused everyone present to shiver involuntarily.

  Rumble!

  Lightning flashed within the dark clouds, deafeningly loud.

  An extremely dangerous aura struck them. Coria, for the first time in a long time, felt the threat of death; the confident expression of control vanished, replaced by stark terror.

  Before she could react, her entire being dissipated like ashes, dissolving into primal void energy, vanishing without a trace.

  The overwhelming pressure was, in fact, the void energy Mei had released—the first time Saches and the others truly felt its power.

  Though they couldn't understand void energy, they could sense its immense power through their Willpower. The unparalleled pressure made it difficult to stand, and breathing became incredibly labored.

  Sullivan felt an unprecedented shock; only those who had awakened their Willpower could perceive the terror of this energy.

  Compared to this power, they were insignificant ants.

  No,

  Not even ants!

  Blaise stood frozen, his eyes filled with fervent admiration.

  "This...this is true power..."

  Sullivan murmured.

  "That woman... is she dead?"

  Not yet.

  Mei checked the ālaya-Vij?āna. She understood Coria better than Coria herself; she had eaten the heart of a two-headed giant serpent, resulting in two hearts within her body.

  Therefore,

  She had two lives.

  Tzzz—

  Lightning crackled, instantly outlining Coria's form. Through this world's strange power, she incredibly resurrected.

  Unfathomable resurrection.

  Boom! Boom! Boom!

  In an instant,

  A furious storm of lightning erupted. Powerful bolts of lightning struck the earth from the sky. Coria, transformed into a true thunder god, stood proudly beneath the heavens, shocking Sullivan and the others.

  Boom!

  A lightning bolt descended, grasped by her hand, transforming into a lightning spear. Pointing the spear at Mei, Coria raged, "You! Submit...or die!"

  Saches looked up at the sky, a chill running down his spine.

  The spectacle was truly breathtaking!

  Was this the world of the strong?!

  Mei remained impassive. It was merely Tier 3; for others, this was the power of a god, but for her, she was a true god.

  Not a low-level god of this world.

  But a higher-level Void Demon God from beyond!

  "You have no right to make me choose between these two options."

  With that,

  Hum—

  The Self-Awareness structure expanded massively, instantly enveloping the entire town. When Coria and the others regained their senses, they witnessed the most unbelievable and shocking sight of their lives.

  A colossal figure loomed in the void, ethereal cosmic energy swirling around her. Mei's eyes shone like the sun and moon, her back adorned with a world studded with starlight.

  And Coria and the others?

  All were within the palm of her hand.

  Coria's thunderous form, which had seemed godlike, was now like an insect in Mei's hand. Sullivan was completely speechless, his mouth agape, unable to express the shock he felt.

  The worldview was once again shattered.

  Blaise's scalp tingled.

  "What...what kind of power is this...?"

  Coria could no longer maintain her composure. Her noble elegance and arrogance crumbled in an instant, replaced by utter terror. She desperately questioned Mei, "Who...who are you?!"

  Mei's incredibly overwhelming display of power transcended Coria's comprehension. She almost believed Mei was a god of this world.

  And she wasn't far from the truth.

  "..."

  Mei didn't reply.

  A second later.

  Pop!

  Coria, the embodiment of lightning, vanished instantly like lightning dissolving into nothingness, leaving no trace. Her previously arrogant power was annihilated by Mei with a single thought.

  When everything returned to normal, it seemed like a dream. The town was still the same town, the inn was still the same inn, and the courtyard was still the same courtyard.

  Only the large craters remained, reminding Saches and the others that what had happened was no illusion or dream. Coria was dead.

  Killed without a chance to fight back.

  Amidst the incredible shock, Saches recalled a legend he'd once heard. He snapped back to attention, his eyes shining as he looked at Mei.

  "Is this... the power of a Willpower Vessel?"

  Legend had it that when Willpower reached a certain level, the awakened could enter a new realm, manifesting their Willpower into Willpower Vessels, thereby gaining unimaginable power.

  Saches could only interpret what had just happened through his own understanding. He believed it was a realm—a powerful realm formed by Mei's Willpower Vessel.

  Mei let Saches' misunderstanding stand; she didn't need to explain anything. If they wanted to fill in the gaps themselves, let them. She simply nodded.

  "Consider it so."

  "Incredible!"

  Saches was overjoyed.

  "The legends are true!"

  In legend, Willpower Vessels were only manifested by those standing at the pinnacle of Willpower—each a legendary figure.

  Mei was such a being—a living, breathing legendary powerhouse before them. The confirmation of the Willpower Vessel legends left Saches incredibly excited.

  Sullivan didn't understand, while Blaise fell into deep thought.

  As for the others Coria had brought, to prevent them from charging in for revenge, Mei swiftly and efficiently dealt with them all.

  Several spheres of light appeared before Mei.

  Loot dropped!

  【Item Acquired: Two-Headed Giant Serpent Heart】

  【Item Acquired: Book of Wisdom】

  【Item Acquired: Descent of the Thunder God】

  A decent haul.

  Essentially, all of Coria's high-level artifacts had been dropped. The 【Descent of the Thunder God】 and 【Book of Wisdom】 were of little value to Mei.

  The Two-Headed Giant Serpent Heart was also unnecessary, given Mei's possession of the Fundamental Core. She stored the items in her Personal Spatial Storage, realizing the potential of this world.

  The loot drop rate was exceptionally high.