Multiverse: Why does the world show a health bar? !

### "Do you believe in fate?"

Ladylee Tangleroad asked.

This petite woman, dressed like a religious figure, youthful in appearance but speaking with the tone of an elder, directed her question at the man.

The man being asked was Li Mo.

"Fate? I suppose I both believe and don't believe in it," Li Mo replied. "If it benefits me, I might choose to believe in it to some extent. If it doesn't, then I'll choose not to."

If it were his younger self, faced with such an edgy topic as fate, he would have defiantly declared, "I control my own destiny, not the heavens." But after experiencing the events of *Demon Slayer* and learning that he had appeared in the prophecies of the Ubuyashiki family, his perspective had shifted.

He began to understand the pragmatism of ancient sages—if something was useful, then use it.

"An interesting answer," Ladylee said. "What do you think, Kihara?"

"Ah, what a boring topic. What does it matter whether fate exists or not?" Kihara Noukan replied. "If it can't be observed, can't be seen, has no form, and no information, how is it any different from not existing?"

The dog manipulated the mechanical arm on its back and said, "You don't mind if I smoke a cigar, do you?"

"Go ahead," Ladylee said.

Li Mo added, "Feel free. But I'm curious, why are the two of you here?"

"You'll have to ask this woman," Kihara Noukan said, taking a puff of its cigar. A top-tier Cuban cigar was undoubtedly the best indulgence for it. In its eyes, only cigars of this caliber were worth smoking.

"Miss Ladylee?"

"Then let's return to the earlier question. Do you believe in the pull of fate?"

"I don't want to believe it, and I don't dare to believe it. Knowing about beings like the Magic Gods, what does the pull of fate even matter?" Li Mo said.

Ladylee laughed. "Magic Gods, Magic Gods. Yes, knowing about such beings is indeed a tragic thing."

"Shouldn't it be exhilarating? About your quest for death, Miss Ladylee, though the rumors aren't widespread, I am aware of them."

Ladylee Tangleroad. A witch who had survived since the time of the Crusades, a magician who couldn't use magic.

She had spent her long life seeking death.

"The Endymion space elevator two months ago was your attempt at suicide, wasn't it? Building a space elevator to the cosmos in Japan, a region where, according to scientific calculations, it would be better to build closer to the equator. Truly a fusion of magic and science, isn't it?"

The fusion of magic and science.

In the world of *Type-Moon*, this would be unimaginable. Mystery and science were distinct, even contradictory. But in the world of *A Certain Magical Index*, it was different.

Who knew how many times this world had been rewritten by the Magic Gods?

"It's not that impressive. As you can see, I failed in the end."

Ladylee's continued presence meant her suicide attempt had failed.

Li Mo said, "I see... But I'm curious, why did I run into the two of you?"

"Oh, is that so strange? Young magician, you seem to know a lot about us," Kihara Noukan said.

"If I hadn't prepared thoroughly, I wouldn't dare step into this city. Also... strictly speaking, I'm not really a magician. I don't have a magic name. Latin and all that, it's too much trouble."

The definition of a magician in the *Index* universe was quite complex.

One had to engrave their wish onto their soul, and all magic pursued that wish.

If Li Mo were to describe it, it was similar to the concept of a "Grand Order" in the *Type-Moon* universe—a goal that a magician must achieve.

As a newcomer, Li Mo didn't have such a thing.

"Not quite. I can see it—your thirst for knowledge. Even you yourself haven't realized it, but that thirst is already etched into your soul," Ladylee said.

"For me, it's just a tool."

His thirst for knowledge probably began after leaving Fuyuki City. After failing to modify the "Solo Run" spell on his own, Li Mo realized he wasn't cut out to be a researcher.

He could only learn existing knowledge and stitch it together. Creating groundbreaking theories was beyond him.

Ladylee said, "So, you're here for the Index, aren't you?"

"Yes."

Li Mo admitted it openly.

He wasn't the only one who coveted the Index.

"Are you prepared for the contamination of the original texts?"

"It's nothing to me."

What contamination could compare to "All the World's Evils"?

That thing represented the malice of all humanity, symbolizing ultimate evil in the realm of mysticism.

It was a source of contamination itself. If Li Mo could be contaminated, he would have been corrupted by "All the World's Evils" long ago. The grimoires were nothing in comparison.

"Is that so? I have a better suggestion for you. I'll impart my knowledge to you, and in return, you'll kill me."

"Miss Ladylee, or should I say, Senior Ladylee, do you really think a small-time magic user like me could do something like that?"

Ladylee, an immortal being who couldn't use magic. Her life force was entirely fixed within the concept of "Ladylee." A thousand years had eroded her will to live. She yearned for her own death, her own end.

Even an event as grand as Endymion couldn't kill this woman. What could he possibly do?

Wait...

Could he actually do it?

Li Mo recalled Ladylee's background. Her immortality stemmed from a divine fruit given to her by a Crusader soldier she had saved during the Crusades.

The Crusades—just mentioning the term brought to mind the "Lord." In the *Index* universe, gods existed within various phases, and the dominant position of Christianity on the planet hinted at the immense power of the "Lord."

Considering that his experiences spanned multiple worlds—whereas the *Index* universe didn't acknowledge parallel or multiverses—it was hard to imagine why the Magic Gods were confined to this world. Yet his own experiences proved the existence of the multiverse.

Based on this, it was plausible that the "Lord's" power far exceeded imagination. Countless worlds pointing to a single name was itself a symbol of immense power.

It could be said that Ladylee's immortality came from the "Lord."

But this was just speculation.

From this, it could be inferred that Ladylee's immortality was a conceptual existence. If Li Mo could devour the concept of "God's Right Seat" from Vento of the Front, then he could also devour the concept of the "divine fruit" within Ladylee.

Li Mo narrowed his eyes.

Behind the slits, the pupils of a beast appeared.

He fell deep into thought.