[12]

Behind the door lies another world.

In many novels, numerous authors describe scenes where opening a door reveals a dramatically changed environment, highlighting the shift from what came before. But for Aoko, the experience was literal—inside this cave, the environment truly felt like another world, leaving her with a strong sense of disorientation.

The cave appeared to be a deep tunnel leading underground, yet a magician would sense that the further they descended into this slightly sloped passage, the more the rules governing it diverged from those of the surface world. This tunnel was, in fact, a flaw in the planet's surface—a crack that even the great system of Rhongomyniad couldn't seal. Aoko cautiously continued downward, her mind calm. She had long expected that the path to the Root would be anything but normal; otherwise, it wouldn't have required a magician to seal it off after exploring it.

At that moment, Aoko noticed her mystic code gradually losing effectiveness. It hadn't malfunctioned but simply couldn't function under this environment's parameters. She worried her magic circuits might be affected as well, but after carefully channeling her magical energy, she found that her circuits and magic crests were still functioning. It seemed that her grandfather must have had descendants after becoming a magician, as only a magician's bloodline would possess some resistance to this environment.

Still, there were no guarantees. Aoko discovered that none of the magic she had learned worked—not even the magic bullets she was most skilled at. Fortunately, the arcane spells from the Woven Fragments still functioned perfectly, as they were on par with the Five Major Magics of this universe, originating from beyond this cosmos.

In the Nasuverse, "outside the world" and "outside the universe" are distinct concepts. "Outside the world" refers to areas beyond the planet's surface, while "outside the universe" is, as expected, beyond the observable universe.

As Aoko walked, she took out her spellbook, holding it close as she remained vigilant for any potential threats. This cave was exceedingly strange. Although there was no light whatsoever, her vision was unaffected.

Was there something wrong with her, or with the cave itself? Aoko inclined towards the idea that, as she approached the origin of all things, she was perceiving something closer to the information of matter itself. Here, the causal question of whether light existed or not didn't impact her ability to perceive her surroundings.

Things were getting more abstract... Aoko sighed.

The moment she allowed her mind a brief respite, she regretted it. At the far edge of her vision, something began "precipitating" from the environment—a white, mist-like presence, though strangely substantial.

Aoko tensed, sensing mortal danger. She quickly opened her spellbook, activating the enhancement spell scrolls she had prepared and applying them in succession: the full Zoo set (except for Lion's Charge and Eagle's Splendor), Mage Armor, and Initiative. In mere seconds, several valuable scrolls were consumed, but Aoko knew that if she died, no one would be left to use them anyway.

Her eyes remained fixed on the white mist, her instincts screaming that it was undoubtedly her enemy.

Sure enough, in her line of sight, the mist gradually solidified into a large creature resembling a mix of fox and dog. It had soft, curly white fur that looked tempting to touch, and its long ears stood upright like those of an alert rabbit.

But Aoko found nothing endearing about it. Her instincts blared warnings. The creature's eyes held bureaucratic violence, as if, in its gaze, Aoko—inheritor of the Fifth Magic notwithstanding—was no different from an ordinary girl on the street.

The beast moved with graceful steps, its feline-like paws making no sound yet radiating a solid, powerful weight. Its speed escalated rapidly, closing a distance that had seemed hundreds of meters in mere moments.

However, thanks to her magical enhancements, Aoko's reflexes had reached superhuman levels. Her right hand moved in a blur, and just before the creature could touch her, she vanished into smoke.

The Primate Murderer tilted its head, confused by her disappearance. When it turned around, it saw the human woman crouching a short distance away, tending to a wound on her shoulder.

Still too careless!

Aoko frowned as she tended to the deep wound on her left shoulder, which bled profusely. She cast False Life on herself, temporarily bolstering her vitality against the blood loss.

Something was wrong with this beast. Despite dodging its attack, she was still injured! And her speed had decreased by nearly a third from this single wound. Was this a result of the Primate Murderer's slaughter authority?

While Aoko pondered, the creature was equally puzzled. Typically, its attacks would leave a human of her caliber grievously wounded. But this woman had only suffered a shoulder wound, with barely any reduction in her abilities. What was going on? Could she not be human?

Aoko ignored the pain, took a small piece of butter, and chanted as she slapped it onto the ground, spreading an invisible wave of magic between her and the beast. Just then, the white beast leaped again, and Aoko narrowly dodged by throwing herself to the ground.

But her chest was struck. Despite the protection of her Mage Armor, her clothes were torn, revealing bloodied skin beneath. A deep wound ran from her shoulder to near her abdomen, dangerously close to disemboweling her.

Aoko spat out blood, mixed with bits of her organs. The searing pain reminded her of her predicament. But thanks to False Life, she had enough vitality left to keep going.

With shaking hands, she opened her spellbook, ignoring the blood dripping onto its pages. The Primate Murderer struggled against the frictionless surface of her Grease spell, unable to leap and snarling in frustration.

Finding the Dimension Door scroll, she activated it without hesitation. Space distorted, and Aoko appeared roughly 120 meters further down the tunnel, closer to the Root.

The Primate Murderer roared in frustration. If it failed in its mission and broke its contract with Gaia, it would face severe punishment.

Aoko looked back at it with a mocking smile before a violent cough forced more blood from her lips.

Damn it, how could the great Miss Blue die here?

Aoko pressed a hand to her wound, forming arcane gestures with her other. Several shimmering missiles launched from her hand, homing in on the Primate Murderer. Though weak, they pushed the beast back bit by bit.

The Primate Murderer was incensed, trying to resist the impacts. But in its view, the woman had pulled another page from her spellbook, disappearing deeper into the cave with impossible speed.

The Grease spell had worked!

Despite her agonizing wounds, Aoko was drenched in sweat. The effects of False Life were fading fast, and when they ended, her body would feel the full force of her injuries.

Just a little farther...

Her stamina was nearly depleted, her body numb from pain and blood loss, leaving only a growing coldness. She considered shifting the time of her injuries to the future but was too weak for such magic. All she could do was press onward, undoing the seal her grandfather had placed.

Was she too arrogant, thinking she had surpassed him?

Briefly melancholy, Aoko quickly dismissed the thought. She had evaded the Primate Murderer—no small feat. And she could feel it—things around her were becoming more abstract. The Swirl of the Root was right in front of her.

Roars echoed from behind. The beast had escaped the Grease spell and was gaining ground again. Aoko paid it no mind, dragging her body forward, resolute.

The place where even nothingness ceased to exist lay before her. With the last of her strength, Aoko activated Cloak of Shadows, disappearing into smoke.

The Primate Murderer's attack missed once more, though Aoko felt as if her spine had been shattered by its slaughter authority.

She no longer cared. She had reached the place every magician dreamed of—the entrance to the Root.

The white beast howled, helplessly watching her vanish into the Root. With the last of her strength, she even managed a final defiant gesture in its direction.