At the peak of the cloud-piercing snow mountain, a dazzling yet gentle light slowly blossomed.

The light spread like a divine ripple, dispersing the dark clouds and softening the wind and snow. The blue sky reappeared, and the golden sunlight mingled with the pure white snowflakes, sprinkling over the scarred capital, enveloping everything in incomparable tranquility.

Basking in that light, people fell asleep one after another, with gentle breezes cradling their bodies, letting them lie down softly.

Their expressions lost all weariness and fear, becoming calm and serene, like animals fully stocked with food and fat, unperturbedly welcoming hibernation in their safe nests, peacefully slipping into slumber.

And the snowflakes, which should have drawn away body heat, instantly melted into warm life force upon touching people, even reviving those on the verge of death, restoring their chests to vigorous rise and fall, washing away all pain, leaving only dreamless rest.

The Light Snowfield — like a mother's gentle hand, tucking a warm quilt over a sleeping child.

Even the villains of the Black Gate could not escape, falling into a deep slumber like infants amidst the light and snow.

"— I see, we weren't even considered, were we."

His disciples couldn't even struggle, falling swiftly like harvested wheat, leaving only the sound of the Key of Transformation's breath in the silent ritual site.

Sweat trickled down his forehead, and his hands maintaining the barrier trembled slightly as his mouth twisted.

He lifted his head, staring intently at the Holy Mountain's radiant light, like a madman willing to let his eyes boil to gaze upon the sun.

However, the Holy Mother Peak had long moved its gaze away from them, the emerald star-like eyes still high in the sky, no longer paying them heed.

"Indeed, just like in the highlands...

"You know nothing about us; it's just that there's disaster there, so you decided to step up — you face the flood after the dam breaks, and we are but insignificant ants of the breach, inconsequential!

"This is truly—"

[Affirmation of the Key of Transformation (Gain Origin of Destiny bonus at 50+)]

D100+30=d100(60)+30=90

The corners of the Key of Transformation's mouth slowly rose, then expanded into a fanatical and joyful smile, as if finally having found what he had been dreaming of.

He opened his hands, abandoning the maintenance of the barrier, as if attempting to embrace the sun, he let out a long and tremulous sigh:

"— Wonderful."

Those deep crimson eyes unblinking stared at the dazzling snowpeak, as if wanting to emblazon the hero's posture into his soul's depths.

"— So marvelous."

Losing his support, the meticulously prepared ritual shield crumpled under the cover of the Light Snow, collapsing into countless light-reflecting fragments.

"— So sacred."

The moat created by rending space had long been filled with endless snow. The hero's magic flowed unimpeded, suffusing the entire capital, and it seemed the whole world responded to her will.

"— So beautiful."

The disciples around him had all fallen, whether ordinary spellcasters or legendary mages, they all now slumbered peacefully under that gentle radiance.

"So gentle."

The arcane artifacts used to shield against spiritual erosion still futilely functioned on them, but the power they released seemed less than a mosquito's buzz before this benevolent glow.

The Key of Transformation gazed upwards, his voice filled with an uncontainable fervor and intoxication:

"Ah— indeed, you are, precisely, the one who can lead [], lead humankind, the true Saintess!"

1-8. World♛

9. We

10. Great Success/Great Failure

D10=d10(2)=2

In the silent snowfield, only the Key of Transformation remained standing, passionately proclaiming like a high-pitched theater aria.

Suddenly, his expression calmed down, and his hands fell limply.

"Thus, I shall sleep, to greet the advent of a new destiny." The young man softly chuckled.

"—If you are not a slave of destiny, then try to let me forever sink into this dream."

As the words fell, the crimson eyes of the Key of Transformation lost focus.

In the next moment, he rolled his eyes back, his body went limp, and he fell with a thud into the snow.

[The Charisma Resistance of the Key of Transformation failed, losing consciousness]

[The Hero's Destiny Counterattack failed, due to collapsing gravity, the Key of Transformation received a bonus +(639-355=284)]

[The Key of Transformation activated the skill: Heartless (Ritual Site D3, Charisma 143-50 (Suppression), Shield d523, Heartless 523+d523)]

3d93+2d523+523+284=d93(52)+d93(79)+d93(61)+d523(491)+d523(137)+807=1627

[The Heartless of the Key of Transformation was successfully activated (>1413), skill activated: Concept Installation]

[Skill: Puppet Rhyme, installation successful]

[The Key of Transformation's skill: Puppet Rhyme activated]

[The Key of Transformation will act to fulfill the prophecy, receiving 1/2 protection guarantee]

—Thus, destiny will return to its track.

[The next actions of the Key of Transformation—]

1-4. Universal Concept Installation (Crowd Uniting Demon D5-7)♛

5-8. Ritual Transformation, Spirit Displacement (Four-winged King R7 LV79)

9.… I never expected such a thing. (Divine Knowledge Saintess)

10. Great Success/Great Failure

D10=d10(4)=4

☆→☆→☆→✧←★←★←★←

Within the capital, the magic domain belonging to the Holy Mother Peak spread like tide, the snowfield brimming with light gradually covered the former bustling capital.

Snowflakes fell gently, wrapping the battlefield, ruins, and crowds in a tender and serene white.

No more conflicts, no more deaths, no distinction between foe and ally, right and wrong, everyone in the snowfall peacefully slept.

Silence reigned.

"Is this… over?" The White Snake lifted its head, looking up at the Hero's enormous form, with an unconcealable awe in its crimson vertical pupils.

"Not sure, but as expected of Your Majesty, at least the situation has stabilized a lot."

The Gleaming Scale Serpent regained its humanoid form, though its gaze couldn't hide its excitement, it still tried to maintain calmness as much as possible.

He sensed several magical auras approaching, and they released friendly signals.

Unlike the disciples forced to conduct the Exchange Ceremony in the open ritual site, having to face the hero's Holy Light straight on, many professionals in the capital managed to find shelters using their abilities, so they didn't lose their consciousness.

When they poked their heads out from hiding, seeing the Holy Mountain bathed in light and snow, the waning fires of conflict, the peaceful and harmonious capital, and those whose wounds were quickly healing under the blessing snow...

The professionals looked at each other silently, all with answers in their hearts.

"I didn't expect to see such a 'miracle' in modern times."

"The people of the Church must be dumbfounded by now."

"You don't say, even though we don't know who the other party is, it might just be a professional from the Church. Otherwise, how could anyone maintain their will after transforming into a Great Demon?"

"Hmm... Regardless of the truth, this is also the domain of humankind. Letting magic creatures save the Kingdom isn't something pleasant to hear."

"In any case, we ought to do something as well."

"— Right, let's go help that guy."

"Yeah, I also think it won't end so easily."

The professionals nodded to each other, stepping towards the direction of the snow peak, silently starting to prepare for the upcoming battle.

[Healing Target (200+)]

[Kingdom Army, joining the Arcane Surge]

[Hero's Worship +D1 = D4, resistance to prophecy gains D2 in the next round]

[Hero activates skill: Mountain Building Movement, Universal Attributes +17]

[Phantasmal Serpent - Holy Mother Peak (Hero) LV79]

Strength: 333/2

Agility: 196/2

Constitution: 692*2

Intelligence: 101/2

Perception: 281*2

Charm: 641*2

[Hero's Detection (Perception 562, Baseline 50, success above 1627-1413=214)]

D512+50=d512(46)+50=96

→☆→☆→☆→✧←★←★←★←

The towering Big Snake stood firm in the center of the capital, its body swelling like an ever-growing peak.

Despite an unclear dialogue with the suspected Divine Knowledge Saintess, it did not mean the hero had regained sanity.

She had already completely dismissed those tiny humans who had just attacked her, only widening her emerald, star-like eyes, using them like searchlights to seek the injured in the capital, gently covering them with healing snowflakes.

Clearly, just a slight movement of her body could topple this human-built city painstakingly erected like toy blocks, yet she stayed cautiously immobile, blissfully sending healing snow with a gentle wind to those in need.

However, to her, the life within this capital was too abundant, too insignificant.

In her focus on finding new casualties, she failed to notice that those previously healed, now resting peacefully, were silently losing their breath.

By the time she discovered this eerie anomaly, it was already too late.

[Key of Transformation activates skill: World Connection — Universal Concepts Installation]

[All humans within perception range undergo perception judgment, those failing the judgment will have numerous factors extracted and installed onto the Key of Transformation]

[Concept Installation (Puppet Rhyme baseline 1/2, Crowd Uniting Demon D2 + D value hundreds digit)]

D262+261=d262(69)+261=330

One can draw strength from oneself, unity from ten, multitude from a hundred, momentum from a thousand, an army from ten thousand —

The power of the world, made into a demon.

[Key of Transformation (Crowd Uniting Demon R7) LV83]

Strength: 217

Agility: 221

Constitution: 251

Intelligence: 284

Perception: 556

Charm: 176

Status: Great Demon: all actions gain D5, all attributes +33

[Round 7 (Magic Potion Effect Remaining: 5, Ritual Completion Remaining: 5 (Paused))]

[Origin of Destiny (Collapsing Gravity, baseline 1/2)]

D486+486=d486(339)+486=825

[Holy Mother Peak (Mountain Building Movement +19, Celestial Scales effect disappears, D2)]

2d660=d660(163)+d660(584)=747

→☆→☆→☆→✧←★←★←★←

The bizarre ripple did not bring any clamor, spreading quietly, as if it had slipped into the blind spots of everyone's awareness.

Even if one could see and hear it, it was hard to view it as a threat, taking what was extremely unusual as mere roadside pebbles.

By the time the sense of disharmony became clear enough to ignore, everything was beyond redemption.

A giant, its entire body dyed black, facial features a chaotic blur, humanoid yet figuratively crude, abruptly manifested in the awareness of everyone like a sudden light in a dark room.

Though it had always been there, always expanding, no one noticed its presence until the last moment.

The giant's body was taller than towers, yet devoid of detail, cloaked only in swathes of murky darkness.

As if compressing enough blood to fill a vast lake and flesh to cover plains into a single mass, at the place where the human pupil should be, countless eyes suddenly opened.

Accompanied by countless mouths yawning wide, they unleashed harsh mockery towards the sluggish Big Snake.

Many citizens perished outright under the Key of Transformation's concept extraction, even the resistant professionals mostly on the verge of death, the continuously falling blessing snow unable to salvage their fading lives.

Their painful murmurs and life's dying struggles resounded like repressed madness, forming an ugly accompaniment to the demon's birth.

Witnessing this scene, the hero froze.

— They were clearly saved.

— They were clearly alive just now.

She heard the sigh of that woman who had been watching her all along.

[Hero's Rage (Prophecy +30, 50 + activate Sacrifice)]

D100+30=d100(52)+30=82

Then, in her mind, it seemed as if a long-maintained string had snapped.

The next second, icy clouds obscured the sky, snow and wind roared again, the entire city trembled in the earth's shaking.

"————————————!!!!!!!!"

The Phantasmal Serpent let out a heaven-shaking roar, boundless magic power shattered the ground, the towering peak no longer stalled, crushing towards the mocking giant.

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