It wasn't until克莱恩 was nearly at the end of the stone staircase that the two "Silver Knights" stationed at the outer gate of the "Kingdom of the Giants" showed any reaction. They turned their heads, and the orange-red glow behind their facial plates flickered twice, as if verifying the identity of the visitor, momentarily puzzled. On克莱恩's face—half normal, half terrifying—his right cheekbone arched elegantly, while the transparent worm on his left side moved slowly and deliberately, forming a blend of both startling and composed expression. *Plink!* With a decisive step, his right foot crossed the final step and landed on the platform where the main gate of the "Kingdom of the Giants" stood. Suddenly, a silver-white crease split open across his forehead, and a multitude of silver sparks burst forth from within him. His entire body instantly shattered into numerous fragments of flesh and muscle. These fragments drifted upward, rapidly thinning and fading, transforming into delicate sheets of paper. Klein appeared repeatedly in various locations, each time wearing a silk hat and a black overcoat, only to have his form shattered by successive silver sword blades, dissolving into mere shadows or transforming into paper figures. At this very moment, suddenly, a figure emerged at the main entrance of the "Kingdom of Giants," where two guards had vanished. This figure wore a dark, elaborate gown adorned with strange, twisted vines—Renee Tynicor! Klein had summoned this messenger when ascending the stone steps, though at the time she appeared as a spectral being, unseen by Colin Iliat, Lovie, and Deric. Now, with both of the "Silver Knights," who had been hiding in the light to conceal their malice, instinctively pursuing Klein, her presence had been revealed to the angelic beings observing from the shadows. Immediately, the vibrant red eyes of Renee Tynicor reflected a seemingly blank region. A soft glow flashed, and suddenly a white long-haired rabbit materialized out of thin air, hopping and darting around wildly, its eyes unusually dull. Immediately thereafter, the messenger maiden took a step forward and vanished completely. In another area, the knight clad in silver armor emerged, his movements stiff and his gestures slow. He had been possessed by the "ghostly spirits!" With himself as a lure, Caine halted his "teleportation," placed his hand on his chest, and performed a graceful, ceremonial bow. "I have found you both. Wishing you well," he said. Then he straightened up, raised his right hand, and snapped his fingers crisply. Crack! The white long-haired rabbit burst apart, its flesh scattering across the ground. Then, Caine began to walk steadily toward the silver knight guard, who was struggling desperately but making no headway. When the two figures intersected, Réniet Tiniocel's historical projection dissolved into mist, and the "Silver Knight" closely followed Cline, obediently stepping alongside him back to the edge of the stone steps. He had now become Cline's shadow. "We may enter," Cline smiled to Colin Iliat and the others below the stone steps. Deryk's eyes gleamed with admiration; he was deeply impressed: "The Master of the World is truly remarkable—solving two 'Silver Knights' guards so swiftly!" Colin Iliat glanced at Lóviya, sensing the gravity in her gaze. The Chief of the Silver City remained expressionless, holding her two straight swords glowing with morning light, and steadily ascended the stone steps to join Cline beside him, whispering, "A different kind?" Cline pressed the "spirit creature" that formed his left eye's pupil back into place, smiled, and said nothing. When Deryck and Lovianna had ascended the steps, the group of four half-gods and one minor spirit turned and arrived at the main gate of the "Kingdom of the Giants." During this process, Caine concealed the extraordinary trait—the "Silver Knight"—emanating from the white long-haired rabbit that had been extracted. This would be Renette Tiniel's reward. ——By the agreement of one divine being for each day's messenger, the spoils Caine obtained through summoning the historical projection were to be shared equally with the messenger. This time, Renette Tiniel took the extraordinary trait, while Caine received the "Silver Knight" minor spirit. Raising his head to examine the main gate, Caine asked the much-taller "Silver Knight" guard to step forward and insert his great sword into the fissure in the ground. Then, the "Silver Knight" lowered his body and extended his hands, placing them firmly upon the massive gate, which stood several dozen meters high. With a deep, resonant sound, the grand gate, adorned with numerous golden nails, slowly swung open. At this moment, the "sun" in the sky leapt, and the entire "Kingdom of the Giants" froze in the warm, golden-hued twilight light. The great main gate opened faster and faster, gradually revealing the scene within to Caine and the others. A long, stairway of gray and white, glowing with warm orange light, rose endlessly from behind the gate, stretching up to the most magnificent palace of the Giants, with no other obstacles in its path—palaces and towers lined the sides. Giant statues, each wielding a long pike and clad in iron armor, stood guard at the entrances of various buildings, protecting the way to the divine abodes. "Begin your performance," Caine said, turning his head with a theatrical smile toward Colin Iliard and Lovianna. The former "Hunter of Monsters," Colin, nodded slightly without hesitation. Behind Lovianna, a shimmering figure several meters tall emerged—dressed in a full silver armor, with eyes glowing like flames. Clap. Clap. Clap! One after another, the giant statues flanking the Kingdom's Staircase burst forth with a brilliant silver glow, emitting internal sounds of shattering. The unfolding "silver blossoms" continuously spread upward, as if welcoming distinguished guests. Soon, the three Silver Knights—Colin Iliad, the souls of Lovie's herds, and the secret figures manipulated by Cline—had largely cleared out the guardian giant statues defending the staircase, leaving only the section near the Giant King's palace, which remained untouched due to caution. At that moment, two figures emerged from the Giant King's palace district and gracefully descended toward the three Silver Knights. One wore a shadowed face, with black hair flowing to her shoulders, slightly wavy, and bearing a pair of ethereal black wings extending from her back. The other was pure shadow, occasionally twisting subtly left and right. They were Enyuni, affected by the influence of the "Dark Angel" and undergoing an unknown transformation, and the shadow originally belonging to Cline. ...Within the misty battlefield, patches of gray-white dragon scales suddenly emerged on Audrey's body—a response to the things she had witnessed that should not have been seen. Even with the fog obscuring them, high-level celestial beings could still contaminate or injure the living who perceived them! As a half-god who had come through the "Observer" path, Audrey immediately withdrew her gaze, calmed her spirit, and stabilized the symptoms that had begun to spiral out of control. In a flash of thought, she stepped back several paces, using "psychological invisibility" to blend into the thick mist, choosing not to rush into the allied forces' lines of Indris and Vosak yet. She was waiting for an opportunity—one she was certain would inevitably arise. Time passed slowly, seeming to Audrey as though it had come to a standstill. She had no idea how long it had been before she finally saw the mist over the allied lines grow darker, as if the sun had already set and night was beginning to claim dominion over the world. In silence and stillness, the soldiers and officers of Indis and Fosac closed their eyes and fell into deep sleep, including many extraordinary ones. Audrey, hiding at a distance, also drifted off to sleep—though, as a "dreamwalker" who had previously signaled her awareness, she remained alert. Seizing the fleeting opportunity, she used her "dream traversal" to enter the allied lines, moving subtly among the troops and quietly planting seeds of a "spirit plague" in each. This plague would cause the infected to feel fear, panic, and emotional collapse, making them difficult to soothe with normal means. A horn sounded, piercing through the boundary between reality and dream, shattering the hazy world and rousing the soldiers and officers. Without hesitation, Audrey traversed to the opposite side of the field, just as the dream world began to fracture, leaving behind the group where she had planted the seeds of the spirit plague. The next instant, the dream world collapsed entirely, and she was thrust back into reality, appearing at the edge of the allied forces' battlefield. Crack! A bright silver streak erupted to her side, slicing through the thick mist. Odile did not panic, as being discovered under attack was exactly what she had anticipated. Since entering the allied lines, she had known that her "psychological invisibility" might be detected through indirect clues—such as the lingering traces of malice she had failed to fully conceal. Therefore, beyond her "psychological invisibility," she had employed similar techniques, leveraging the disarray caused by the "Hand of Fear," to create a false version of herself around her, thereby misleading any potential surprise attackers. In other words, beneath her "psychological invisibility," there lay a second, phantom presence. And indeed, Odile's insight into the enemy's psychology proved accurate—the false Odile was suddenly struck by an unexpected assault. Seizing this opportunity, she retreated deeper into the mist. Then, a colossal gray dragon with a human-like head emerged, its vast scales inscribed with one after another mysterious and three-dimensional symbols that intruded inward while extending outward, interweaving into an incomprehensible, non-physical realm—so vivid and otherworldly that mere sight of it sent the observer into mental chaos, distorting thought and driving them mad. Meanwhile, at the spot where Audrey had previously stood, a figure in the uniform of General Vosak appeared—his face, neck, and hands covered in silver plates, giving off a cold, sterile impression. He then took a few steps forward, spread his palms, and remarked with a sigh, "It's truly a pity—now you'll never be able to reach me." Thwack! The "shadow" opened its mouth and launched a projectile of air.