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Ding!
[Your Soul Realm has expanded imnsely after absorbing hundreds of Immortal Domains, four Celestial Immortal Realms, one Heavenly Realm, and three Great Blood Soul Realms.]
[You have developed a vast array of unique Spirit Treasures, and all existing ones have ranked up, nourished by the energies of these newly integrated realms.]
[Your KI, Nether, Aether, Spirit, Divine Power, Celestial Power, and Nightmare Power have each increased by 400,000,000.]
[Your Divinity: Primordial Fla: Starless Deep & Void Death / Yin & Yang (Tier 7: Rank 2) has advanced to Tier 9: Rank 1, empowered by this surge!]
[Physique: Abyssal Mourner of the Starless Deep Death Physique (Tier 6: Rank 9) has advanced to Tier 9: Rank 1!]
[Spiritual Heart: Abyssal Starless Void Deep Chaotic Heart (Tier 6: Rank 7) has advanced to Tier 9: Rank 1!]
[All of your Stats have further increased by 300,000,000!]
"Ah, that feels wonderful. So much power... I feel overwhelmingly strong now," Maria murmured with a soft laugh. "So close to Level 500. Yet I still wonder what cos next. Is there anything left powerful enough to push further? Even after everything, I haven’t reached the cap. Perhaps conquering more of Hell will do it, though the trio just resud after their week-long break in the Layer of Lust."
By "trio," Maria ant Leviathan, Satan, and Beelzebub. The three behaved like foolish yet endearing friends, and she had grown quietly fond of their antics.
After an hour and a half of wandering, lounging by the fountain, chatting, and sampling food from player vendors, the group finally moved toward the next portal.
"All right, family, let’s keep moving," Maria said with quiet determination. "We should clear at least two more floors before we rest."
As she stepped forward, about to cross the threshold, a sudden shout rang out behind her.
A man rushed toward them, hefting an enormous weapon.
"Wait! Please wait! Don’t leave yet!"
Maria’s eyes narrowed, her aura flaring with cold nace. A massive claw of phantasmal energy materialized, slamming the stranger into the ground. His hood fell away, revealing skin that glead unnaturally, smooth and artificial.
Like a doll.
"Ugh...! Please... rcy!" he gasped, voice strained with pain. "I ant no harm...!"
"You’ve been shadowing us for several worlds now, ’plastic man,’" Maria said icily as she approached. "I don’t tolerate stalkers. What do you want?"
"I swear I bear no ill intent!" he coughed desperately while Nyx and Celes hurried over.
"Mommy, don’t be so rough! He might shatter!" Nyx exclaid.
"Yeah," Celes added softly. "There’s a soul inside him, but... it’s strange. Not like the souls we know. And not quite a spirit either."
Maria released her grip, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "A toy, then? Just what are you?"
"I am a native of the floor you’re about to enter," the man sighed in relief, struggling to his feet. "It’s... hard to explain. You need to see it yourselves. But please... let join your party."
Maria arched an eyebrow. "What?"
"I’ve lost almost all hope," he whispered, voice breaking as tears welled in his glassy eyes. "Our world was once beautiful, living in perfect harmony. Then massive golden pyramids descended. They abducted our people, tore us apart, and harvested the souls from our bodies..."
"Pyramids?" Maria’s interest sharpened.
"I’ve watched you," he continued fervently. "You move like a goddess. Surely you could defeat them!"
Lucifer stepped forward, he looked angered. "And you expect her to risk everything for free? She aided those other worlds because she knew their people. You’re a stranger. Why should we help?"
"Of course..." the doll-like man murmured, lowering his gaze. "They say our souls are precious. They hold a power that fuels dreams and warps reality itself. If you agree to save us, I..."
CRASH!
The man suddenly pierced his own chest, groaning in deep agony as he coughed violently, tearing out a glowing orb of pink, ethereal light.
"Please take it... my soul... it’s all I have left... after they took everything from ..."
"You didn’t have to do this..."
Maria examined the orb for a mont, quickly grasping its nature.
"Dream Essence? No, it’s similar... Wait, what is that world? How can Dream Essence exist outside Azure Star?"
But that was not all. As the plastic man grew paler, the vibrant colors of his artificial body fading as if he were aging rapidly, Maria glimpsed countless images within the ethereal orb.
Children laughing. People smiling. Hundreds of cherished mories of soone playing with him, treating him as a beloved toy.
"This is incredible..."
"Maria, he’s going to die!" Alma cried out.
"I know, sorry." Maria swiftly returned the orb to the man’s chest and patched him up. "Are you okay?"
"Ah...! You... didn’t take it?" the man asked, his enormous scissors—his weapon—clattering to the ground. Maria noticed special enchantnts crafted from the rocks she had mined earlier, along with strange paintings that granted powerful boosts.
"No, I didn’t. Those scissors are strange. They look like ordinary oversized scissors, yet you’ve infused them with so much power," Maria said, touching the weapon gently. "You’re no weakling, are you?"
"I wouldn’t call myself strong," the man sighed heavily.
"What’s your na?" she asked.
"My owner used to call Bobby," he replied with a faint, wistful smile.
"Owner?" Nyx murmured, puzzled.
"It’s complicated," Bobby said, his smile softening. "My world is unlike any of yours, yet in so ways quite similar..."
"Alright then, it’s decided," Maria nodded firmly. "Teach how you imprint that mysterious power into weapons, and we have a deal."
"Really? And by mysterious power, you an these drawings?" Bobby asked. "These are the Paintings of Owners. They hold incredible strength. Getting an Owner to paint sothing for you is nearly impossible under normal circumstances, but I can find objects already imbued with their Imaginary Power."
"Imaginary Power? Owners?" Lucifer looked utterly confused. "Okay, let’s calm down. What exactly is your world?"
"It’s better if you see it. Telling you would ruin the surprise, right?" Bobby smiled lightly. "Ah, thank you..."
A notification appeared before Bobby, and he was promptly added to Maria’s party.
There was a strict limit on mbers once her family was included, and each new addition cost Maria a hefty sum in System Points.
It demanded a staggering 50 million points per slot, but she possessed billions from the Immortals she had relieved of their wealth.
"Sentient Action Figure Toy?" Maria read aloud from his information, intrigued. "Huh, not bad at all. You’re nearly as strong as an SSS Rank! Impressive. Are you so kind of hero among your people?"
"I wouldn’t call myself a hero. Just soone who ventured beyond our world seeking help. This is the first ti anyone has finally agreed," Bobby said, his voice thick with emotion. "I have endured so much..."
"Huh. Alright then, let’s go, Bobby," Maria smiled warmly. "You’ve piqued my curiosity about your world."
"A warning before we leave," Bobby added. "I’m not good with world traveling. I get terribly dizzy... so I might throw up."
"Toys can throw up?!" Maria exclaid in disbelief.
"We can..." the man groaned weakly.
Maria sighed deeply. "Fine, whatever. Let’s just go already!" She grabbed him and hoisted him along.
"Ugh! Please don’t carry like this. I’m going to break! I’m an old toy!" Bobby protested. "I haven’t been repaired in ages!"
FLAAASH!
Maria stepped through the portal with her family, ascending the Stairway to another world. mbranes of energy parted before her sealed powers.
Her family and friends stayed close as they passed through with little trouble... until they finally erged into the new realm.
Suddenly, a strange, invisible force brushed against them. It felt alive, curiously observing before vanishing.
"What was that?"
Maria glanced around in confusion as the new world unfolded before her.
The air was fresh, yet utterly devoid of Mana and Ki.
This world lacked those energies entirely, much like Carnivalis.
Maria classified it as one of the "ordinary worlds," though nothing about them was truly ordinary. Their origins lay beyond the supernatural she knew.
It was sothing profound, a distortion in reality itself. These worlds appeared harmless, yet they could prove among the most perilous, governed by forces that often disregarded Magic or even Divinity.
"Wait a second, this place...?"
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