When the plot-skips players into the game world

In the unfolding Ring of Ouroboros ceremony, Aiwass felt his consciousness being gradually extracted.

The Ring of Ouroboros ceremony, having been supplemented by the Shepherd's Nurturing Skill, seemed as if it had filled some crucial gap. The Shepherd's Nurturing Skill within him automatically circulated, and mana and life force were continuously drawn into the void.

Aiwass experienced a strange dizzy spell, as if he had fallen asleep in a bathtub.

When Aiwass woke up again, he was greeted by a bizarre sight——

He was floating in the chaotic darkness of the void, feet not touching the ground.

In front of Aiwass, a peculiar door began to brighten gradually.

It was a portal formed by a stream of red light. It was like a sunset that had its heart carved out, or a golden-red sun obscured by an eclipse. It was rotating slowly yet steadily, its edges emitting scorching heat, steaming with golden-red flame currents.

——Just like the Ring that appeared on Lancelot's chest.

Aiwass looked at it but felt as if something was missing.

In an instant, Aiwass had a stroke of insight and turned to look behind him.

There was another "door" behind him.

It was a Crystal Serpent, biting its own tail, spiraling and winding into the "∞" symbol.

From the oval shape of its head, it might have been a non-venomous snake. The Crystal Serpent was captivatingly beautiful in purple, translucent throughout, with hints of blue, red, and yellow gradations.

"...The fire of nothingness, and the Serpent of Infinity?"

Aiwass murmured.

The Art of Herding originated from the Serpent Celestial Marshal's Mystical Skills.

The Serpent Celestial Marshal, from the Path of Transcendence, left behind the powers of Dedication and Transcendence...

Thinking this, Aiwass reached out, somewhat nervously but resolutely, and touched it.

As his hand touched the Crystal Serpent, it rippled like a fingertip brushing the surface of a lake. It seemed to convulse uncomfortably, its beautiful crystal scales contracting and then expanding. Its rotation speed also increased slightly.

Modifying the parameters of a ceremony in progress is extremely dangerous. A slight misstep could result in being torn apart by the uncontrollable ritual. Aiwass dared to do this because, after obtaining the Book of Law, his knowledge of the Ring of Ouroboros ceremony was etched into his brain as if he himself was the inventor of the ceremony.

Before he "removed" it, he would not forget even a bit of it.

There was a slight change in color on the surface of the gigantic purple serpent——it had been redirected from the Celestial Marshal of the Path of Love to an "Apostle of the Path of Authority" by Aiwass.

The Ring of Ouroboros is a forbidden ritual capable of pulling down a Celestial Marshal. But pulling down an Apostle requires much less sacrifice, and the stability of the ceremony also improves somewhat. At the very least, it should prevent Lancelot from dying on the spot...

But as Aiwass concentrated on modifying the ritual.

He suddenly heard a voice.

"I am the Serpent of Secrets, coiled in a trap of my own body: and there is delight in this coiling."

...What?

Aiwass froze for a moment.

Those were the words of the "Nurturing Secret Sequel."

——Even though he had never heard it with his own ears, he immediately sensed... that it must be the voice of the Serpent Celestial Marshal!

It was a strange voice he had never heard before, unlike that of a Holy Entity.

And His voice continued to rise:

"Red is one extreme, and purple is another. My eyes flash with red light, and my raiment is purple."

Hearing this, Aiwass suddenly realized what the red [door] was.

It was a serpent's eye!

It was the eye of the Serpent Celestial Marshal!

He was staring into the eye of the Serpent Celestial Marshal now, but when he turned around, he saw Its body. There was no question that this was not a complete and continuous space.

And then, Aiwass heard a light chuckle.

——Or at least, he thought it ought to be a chuckle.

"When the world changes and cycles, the affairs of the world remain forever unaltered.

"The just remain just, the corrupt remain corrupt. Kings forever kings, slaves forever slaves.

"No one ascends, no one descends, all things never change. The universe is already solidified, like the Amber Egg; the world eternally cycles, akin to the Ring of Ouroboros."

The voice of the Serpent Celestial Marshal became gentle again, as if narrating something.

But then, Aiwass suddenly felt an immense sense of crisis.

Because the voice of the Serpent Celestial Marshal suddenly became urgent and passionate, a strong sense of intoxication flooding within Aiwass.

The voice continued: "When the serpent ascends into your heart, then the kiss of the stars pours into your body.

"The holy number eleven, that is the variable! Elevate your body! Your form shall rise above the stars——"

Hearing this, Aiwass panicked, and his fingers that were in contact with the Crystal Serpent suddenly let go.

The clutter of voices by his ears disappeared instantly.

However, fine crystal serpent scales had already begun to appear on the skin of his right arm that had touched the Crystal Serpent.

"...You want my body?"

Aiwass's lips curled slightly: "I won't give it to you."

Although he roughly understood the reasons why the Serpent Celestial Marshal became what It was... that had nothing to do with Aiwass.

Yet he was puzzled—this was just a promotion ceremony, after all, everything was merely an illusion. Even if It took his body, what would that amount to?

Or was this the Lord of Scalefeather simulating the Serpent Celestial Marshal? Was He revealing some secret to him...

Meanwhile, Aiwass had completed the modifications to the ceremony. After he stopped hearing the voice of the Serpent Celestial Marshal, he was suddenly ejected.