For ordinary people, sunglasses and a mask would solve this problem.

  But Mithra’s outfit was a commitment; she still had almost a month left on her current, abstract, hodgepodge priestess outfit, which had become a new symbol for her.

  It's easy to imagine counterfeit versions appearing on the market in a few days.

  What does Ms. Matsuri, the chief designer and creator of the outfit, think about this?

  "Isn't this great?"

  Great. No comments at all.

  Shuǐxiù University's quiet study center remained as deserted as ever. Mithra was lending her computer to Matsuri, who was watching the video Ke Yen posted.

  Matsuri was engrossed, and after watching, she specifically searched for comments about Mithra's clothes.

  "You seem quite pleased."

  "Of course I'm happy that my clothes are seen by so many people. I didn't expect a simple outing would cause such a stir," Matsuri laughed.

  Mithra shrugged, indicating that she couldn't take credit for it.

  Matsuri closed the video and returned the computer.

  Mithra said, "You really don't plan to prepare any electronic products?"

  Matsuri pondered, "While the internet is interesting, I don't really feel the need… But I do need a mobile phone recently. Otherwise, I can't contact you in time; I’m afraid you’ll leave me hanging again in the future.”

  With that, she gave Mithra a teasing look.

  Mithra stared intently: “Then I’ll buy you a phone, as payment for your clothes.”

  “While I dislike your wording, I’ll accept it for now. It’s not payment; it's a gift from a friend.” Matsuri pointed at Mithra.

  Mithra ignored her finger: “Yes, just a gift.”

  Suddenly, Matsuri remembered something: “Right, who was that person guiding you in the dream?”

  While the video largely omitted Elise, her voice and certain visuals made her presence clear. Online speculation ran rampant, but to no avail.

  Elise’s editing skills were poor, but at least she knew the difference between what to include and what to exclude.

  “Her name is Elise. A talkative girl. She’s very kind and powerful and was a great help,” Mithra answered directly.

  “Elise…” Matsuri pondered.

  “What?”

  “Um… nothing, just thinking maybe I knew her before?” Matsuri said jokingly.

  “If you knew her, then how old were you when you were her mischievous little companion?”

  Based on information available, Elise’s last sleep before being awakened by Mithra was in the era of the forty-four pillar gods.

  “Perhaps. What do you think about the setting of a youthful girl being a super old mischievous companion?”

  “It’s cliché.”

  “You’re so blunt.”

  “Because Elise is.”

  “Seems accurate. Isn’t this setting redundant then?”

  Mithra pondered, then said, “Then I think that setting is quite common in Dreamland.”

  Matsuri patted her face: “Makes sense.”

  Mithra leaned back in her chair: “How’s the armor coming along?”

  At this, Matsuri sat up straighter, her expression turning more troubled: “I feel stuck somewhere, encountering a temporary impasse.”

  “If you need help, just say so.” Mithra didn’t pry, simply mentioning it.

  “I won’t be shy with you.” Matsuri naturally nodded in agreement.

  Mithra's attention shifted again. Although she had offered to buy Matsuri a phone, her priestess outfit prevented her from easily going out, so she chose to directly contact the highly professional Leo Duncan.

  Upon receiving the message, Leo Duncan simply replied with “Okay,” and within five minutes, sent a delivery notification, reminding Mithra to check it in the afternoon.

  Matsuri only needed a phone for basic communication; she could have bought an old model, but Leo Duncan chose the current best on the market, similar to the one Mithra had.

  Mithra: 【Everything going smoothly on your end? Will you make it tomorrow?】

  Leo Duncan: 【No problem. Almost finished torturing it.】

  Leo Duncan was helping out at his family's company, and the situation remained uncertain. Everyone had already set the travel date for tomorrow, but Leo Duncan hadn't given a definite confirmation.

  But Leo Duncan himself was extremely confident.

  Leo Duncan had actually finished his sister's task quite some time ago, but as everyone knows, showing off high efficiency and rapid completion isn't ideal when one has a stable job and salary.

  Leo Duncan’s unwavering “no fishing, only the best” attitude had brought him more trouble; his workload had piled up significantly.

  He had been working non-stop until now.

  And the most frightening part was that, despite this, Leo Duncan could still casually respond to messages in the group chat, often instantly.

  In Mithra’s opinion, this man was terrifyingly perfect.

  Leo Duncan: 【However, the schedule is so rushed, but we haven't decided where to go yet. Going on a trip without any planning is truly agonizing.】

  Mithra: 【I surrender.】

  Mithra vaguely felt that her fate, whether in Dreamland or not, could be influenced by strange things, so she wasn't going to resist.

  If fate nudges, so be it. If problems arise, Mithra would deal with them; if she couldn’t, her bosses would.

  Leo Duncan: 【…Liyu also said that. Sigh, when making decisions, people like you who leave it to chance are so frustrating.】

  Mithra: 【Sorry.】

  Leo Duncan: 【I’m not blaming you. Anyway, I and the monkey have places we want to go.】

  Mithra: 【Then let's go to both? If it’s Dreamland, it’s easy enough to schedule.】

  Teleportation is truly convenient, friends.

  Leo Duncan: 【Since it’s Dreamland, we just need to decide where to go first.】

  Mithra: 【So?】

  Leo Duncan: 【Let’s meet tomorrow and figure out how to decide.】

  Mithra sensed their decision-making process might be explosive, but she agreed, since she could enjoy the drama.

  “Oh, Mithra.” While chatting with Leo Duncan, Matsuri, who had been quietly reading, suddenly remembered something and looked up.

  “Mm?”

  “You said the Xyrin Empire still owes you the God-killing weapon, right? Have you received it?”

  “…”

  Mithra’s fingers stopped typing; she looked up blankly.

  Oh no, she’d been so busy in Hope City that she'd completely forgotten.

  She hadn’t visited Dreamland recently, and there was no direct communication method between Dreamland and Planet Blue.

  Therefore, she had been out of contact with the Xyrin Empire for almost a month.

  Including the preparation time, the Xyrin Empire’s delivery deadline had long passed.

  This time, Mithra had no choice but to go out, wearing her extremely noticeable priestess outfit.

  ...

  “Everyone! You’re finally here! I’ve been getting six calls a day—one from the Empire, two from Nino, and three from Ms. Orph! I thought I’d offended you somehow; I thought you were trying to kill me with this endless barrage!”

  Salomo clutched his head, pacing in front of Mithra, continuously lamenting, his eyes bloodshot, showing the torment he'd endured.

  “I apologize.” Mithra expressed her apologies, though her expression and tone remained calm.

  Salomo had no energy to be angry; he’d been tormented by all three parties until his hair stood on end. Seeing Mithra, he nearly burst into tears.

  At that moment, the front door opened.

  Rushing footsteps approached, a Xyrin Empire messenger hurriedly carrying a white box.

  “Is Ms. Mithra really here?”

  “She is!”

  Salomo and the messenger exchanged relieved glances.

  This messenger was responsible for the delivery after the weapon’s completion.

  Because it was a God-killing weapon, and the transaction held significant meaning, a whole team had originally been assigned to the handover, but because Mithra wasn’t there, and after waiting too long, everyone else had their own things to do and left.

  Only this messenger, the youngest and least experienced, remained to endure the torment.

  He was constantly urged, instructed, and questioned, suffering similarly to Salomo.

  The Xyrin Empire even painstakingly prepared themselves for the possibility of Mithra escaping with the Maul.

  Mithra looked at the two, who seemed on the verge of embracing each other, and stroked the Xyrin Great Maul, which she’d already taken out, to avoid scaring anyone.

  “Although our time together was short, it was a very pleasant collaboration. I look forward to our next opportunity to work together; everyone will remember you.”

  Xyrin Great Maul: …Really? My colleagues have been giving me the cold shoulder during my service. During the Snow Flower Demon fight, I was thrown around relentlessly by Mithra, even though it was because she valued me most.

  “The Maul has its own unique charm; don’t be sad.” Seeing it didn’t respond, Mithra softly consoled.

  Xyrin Great Maul: ?

  The Xyrin Empire messenger, observing Mithra's outwardly calm but subtly reluctant demeanor, felt a slight tremor.

  The Xyrin Empire and Rising Sun City had numerous rumors about Mithra, the "hero" and "bandit." Even in Dreamland, where rumors were notoriously unreliable, these persisted.

  Regardless of the assessment, Mithra was consistently described as a terrifying being comparable to a Wandering God.

  Numerous factions provided her support, most importantly, she was from Enchanting Land!

  Mithra's reputation in Rising Sun City was somewhat demonized.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Consequently, the team of messengers assigned to meet Mithra felt a degree of apprehension. The initial strength in numbers had dissipated, leaving them alone.

  A young messenger had conducted a minor public opinion survey during their stay in Sun City.

  Nino held Mithra in extremely high regard, but the general populace's opinions were diverse.

  Cold-blooded killer.

  Humanoid Wandering God.

  Night's Envoy.

  Eternal Night's Harbinger.

  Basically, no positive assessments.

  Clearly, the time wasn’t enough for the Sun City residents to recover from the shock of Mithra single-handedly replacing Xyrin’s dominance over the night sky.

  Filled with fear, they could only curse Mithra in secret.

  They did nothing else.

  “Mithra-sama, please…” The messenger, calming himself, held a white box and carefully placed it on the table before Mithra.

  Mithra still held the Xyrin Great Maul, but her gaze shifted to the white box: “Introduce it first.”

  The messenger felt, inexplicably, like he was being interrogated.

  Of course, the one likely being interrogated wasn't him, but the God-killing weapon within the white box.

  The messenger lightly touched a corner of the box, activating a hidden mechanism.

  Instantly, the side facing Mithra became transparent, revealing its contents.

  A seemingly delicate, curved blade, grey in color, with an ancient, austere feel. The blade's curve was sinuous and serpentine, making it difficult to discern the edge. A mechanism connected the blade and hilt, allowing the blade to fold downwards.

  Currently, the blade was folded, resting quietly within the box.

  【Unwavering Folding Blade: The Dao are a strange ancient race, said to be born with a companion weapon. Their weapons are forged in blood and slaughter, their glory forged in battle. A curved, seemingly fragile and flimsy blade, a deviant blade scorned by its kin, yet it slaughtered enough to contend for the title of “King of Ten Thousand Blades.” It was once a single step away from achieving this title, and its rival was… Lebaance. The legacy of the folding blade persists for millennia; its sharpness may never fade, for it is a God-killing weapon.】

  Previously, Mithra had chosen from the list at random.

  However, she seemed to have hit the jackpot this time.

  This wasn’t the power of a Wandering God, but a relic from an even older age.

  An ancient race known as the Dao.

  During the era of the Forty-Four Pillars, Dreamland was teeming with novel races, many of them exceptionally talented. Many of the Forty-Four Pillars themselves were born from such races.

  The Dao were clearly one of them, unfortunately, one that failed in the competition.

  However, the origin of this blade was not unjustly defeated; after all, its opponent was Lebaance.

  Considering that the Dao are a race where everyone wields a blade, to defeat the "King of Ten Thousand Blades" with a single blade, this blade was clearly extraordinary.

  It was just unknown how much power remained.

  “This… you chose the ‘Unbreakable Blade Fragment’ material. Processing it proved far more difficult than the craftsmen anticipated. The blade itself is impervious to processing; external substances have difficulty interacting with it. The Wandering God consciousness within has remained dormant, so there are significant uncertainties,” the messenger said, voicing the prepared explanation.

  Mithra nodded slightly: “I seem to recall hearing about this.”

  She had chosen this material before; the messenger had given a brief introduction, but perhaps due to his outsider's perspective, his knowledge was limited, making his explanation vague regarding the material's processing difficulty.

  “Indeed. It proved even more troublesome than we expected. Therefore, although we have tried to control its form, this weapon is better suited to change according to your will,” the messenger carefully explained.

  Mithra nodded slightly.

  Theoretically, even newly crafted God-killing weapons, in essence, weren’t drastically different from ancient ones; they were allowed to grow themselves.

  This implied immense uncertainty and danger.

  “How did you obtain this materials?” Mithra finally remembered to ask. The description on the list had been brief and cursory, something Mithra hadn’t paid much attention to.

  Now that Night Eyes confirmed the unusual origin, Mithra wanted to know more.

  The messenger had anticipated this, immediately providing a detailed answer: “According to ancient records, it’s materials regarding a long-ago Wandering God. Sanctuary records describe it as a peculiar Wandering God, composed of numerous individuals, each possessing a strange curved blade, all considered part of the Wandering God's body. One of the blade wielders was the strongest, but the blade wielder's identity could shift at any time between those individuals, making it incredibly unusual. After this Wandering God was destroyed by the Xyrin Empire, all the curved blades shattered into useless metal, except for the strongest blade wielder's blade, which retained potent power.”

  “A Wandering God composed of numerous individuals?” Mithra was surprised. She had seen many types of Wandering Gods, but this was something new.

  “Yes, in Sanctuary records, they are known as the ‘Sacrificial Dao,’ perpetrators of countless massacres.” The messenger sighed, then, remembering something, continued: “However, although the Sacrificial Dao’s swordsmanship was unique, and they could utilize various Miracles, they lacked the unique Miracle powers associated with Wandering Gods. Even with the blade in hand, our research failed to unravel its mysteries.”

  Many Wandering God materials were like this: their origins complex and tangled, making it difficult to understand their power.

  Because Wandering Gods shift and change.

  Sometimes, a Wandering God’s power, deprived of its original consciousness, can, over time, or under the influence of others, transform into a different Wandering God depending on the circumstances.

  The Universal Hands and the Snow Flower Demon are an example of this relationship.

  If Wandering Gods are like this, then older and more powerful beings than Wandering Gods would have even more complex legacies.

  “So, you’ve tested this God-killing weapon?” Mithra asked.

  While obtaining exclusive God-killing weapons was extremely difficult, craftsmen had ways to briefly test them.

  For instance, suppressing the weapon's power and will before briefly using it.

  This was the crudest and simplest method.

  Mithra’s friend, Diehl, a weapon craftsman from Sanctuary, had mentioned this when he taught Mithra. He stated that a significant reason for Xyrin’s advanced weapon technology was the existence of Xyrin itself.

  Xyrin could forcibly suppress various powers.

  God-killing weapon creation was difficult and the yield was low, hence infrequent. But this function was still used during the complex manufacturing processes.

  The messenger considered this, then replied: “We have conducted tests. Strangely, this God-killing weapon didn't actively affect the wielder's consciousness. The testing process was easier than expected, but due to the lack of interaction, beyond its raw power, we couldn't ascertain anything else. Our craftsmen only collected basic data.”

  He presented a small booklet.

  Mithra quickly flipped through it.

  It was useless. Although the weight, length, and various parameters were meticulously recorded, the most crucial information regarding the weapon’s inner consciousness and its potential unique powers was completely absent.

  The young messenger was sweating profusely.

  Salomo, standing silently by, observing, now frowned.

  Even though Mithra chose the material herself, and unforeseen difficulties were expected during the manufacturing process, the results were too perfunctory.

  The weapon's true capabilities were completely unknown after testing; was Mithra expected to be the guinea pig?

  Even though Mithra had experience wielding multiple God-killing weapons, the unpredictable nature of combining different God-killing weapons increased the risk.

  It was only Mithra's proven track record of wielding multiple God-killing weapons that earned her support.

  Xyrin's actions here felt akin to handing over an unpredictable bomb.

  Whether it exploded or not depended entirely on luck.

  The lack of specifics meant that even contingency plans were impossible to make; this was truly…

  Salomo prepared to speak on Mithra’s behalf.

  “Very good, then let's do this.” Mithra’s reply surprised everyone.

  The messenger produced a long, wide white box, similar to the curved blade's case but larger, designed for the Xyrin Great Maul.

  Mithra slowly placed the Xyrin Great Maul into the box, feeling a strange sense of putting someone into a coffin.

  She imagined the Xyrin Great Maul must be reluctant to leave.

  She hoped so.

  Returning the weapon she had just received—while the total number of weapons remained unchanged—still left Mithra with a sense of emptiness.

  Was parting this cruel?

  Mithra thought of the lollipop melting in her mouth.

  Because she didn’t smoke.

  The messenger quickly closed the Xyrin Great Maul’s box, relieved.

  However, as he prepared to leave, Salomo deliberately coughed loudly, attracting the messenger’s attention, then gestured subtly towards the outside: “My friend, let’s have a brief chat.”

  The messenger felt that Salomo, who had seemed amiable during their short stay, suddenly had a terrifyingly polite smile.

  He instinctively looked at Mithra.

  Then he saw Mithra rubbing her hands together, opening the curved blade's case as instructed by the messenger. Though her expression remained unchanged, she seemed to have the joyful air of a child receiving a birthday present.

  Had she been pretending not to want it earlier??

  Salomo placed a hand on the messenger's shoulder, amicably saying: “Young man, now that things have finally concluded, you can relax. Mithra is very pleased; all is well.”

  “Uh… yes…”

  “I have some words of gratitude. Let’s talk privately.” Salomo’s voice suddenly dropped, his gaze hardening slightly. Then, raising his head, his expression sunny once more, he addressed Mithra: “Mithra-sama, please take your time examining your new weapon. I have some private matters to discuss with this messenger.”

  Mithra’s attention was focused on the curved blade, so she didn’t notice.

  Salomo firmly guided the messenger away.

  Mithra-sama was very magnanimous, but her considerations in such situations were often too simplistic. The objective reasons behind this transaction were understandable, but the outcome wasn't easily accepted.

  Failing to fulfill a promise adequately couldn't be simply dismissed.

  When Orph-sama told him not to rush, he had taken on the role of Mithra's "manager and advisor"—a task willingly undertaken—even if it was out of personal volition.

  He had plenty of time.

  Besides his unofficial Sanctuary affiliations, Salomo was also a renowned businessman in Andemiriya.

  ...

  Mithra wasn’t aware of the background.

  From her perspective, she didn’t enjoy getting bogged down in complex details; clear-cut solutions saved time.

  Initially, her most straightforward plan was to simply escape with the Xyrin Great Maul… Run away, and kill anyone who dared to stop her.

  For Mithra, obtaining a God-killing weapon was an acceptable outcome.

  Even a subpar one wouldn't be a problem.

  In fact, creating a new God-killing weapon that could rival the wildly growing ones would, in a sense, better align with her goals.

  Without hesitation, she reached out and took the ancient curved blade from its case.

  Instantly, a powerful battle intent flooded Mithra’s mind.

  Several images flashed before her eyes.

  Slender hands clutching a curved blade, traversing mountain paths. This blade lacked the folding mechanism; it seemed weaker and more fragile…

  Strong, numerous hands clad in gauntlets drawing a blade from a body completely covered in blades, rising amidst a pool of blood and countless broken blades. This was the new King of Blades…

  It and its blade went to the very end, facing a towering figure exuding an aura that threatened to shatter heaven and earth. Its army, already renowned, stood aside at the figure's command, clearing a space for the duel.

  Mithra felt the overwhelming power of that figure.

  All opponents encountered, all powers witnessed, paled in comparison to the residual image of this being.

  The Herald of Eternal Night loomed like a mountain. Before this figure, approximately three meters tall, even the Herald seemed insignificant.

  Anyone daring to stand before it would likely be overcome by absolute terror and choose suicide.

  Mithra experienced this perspective firsthand, without reservation.

  Her heart stopped, her blood reversed, her body’s instincts and rules completely disrupted.

  Everything about her body was silenced, unable to compete.

  Yet, Mithra silently raised the blade, pointing it at the opponent, expressionless.

  She felt nothing.

  If one day, in a necessary situation, she had to act against her bosses, it would be no different from any other task.

  Mithra's world was a vast game. She started by using casually picked-up cursed items, then used God-killing weapons against Wandering Gods; eventually, she would have to face opponents like this.

  Even facing Lebaance, the supposedly strongest pillar god, wouldn't evoke any feeling in her.

  Apparently, Mithra's inner and outer selves were impervious to any kind of pressure.

  The image shattered, and Mithra returned to the present.

  She found herself pointing the curved blade forward, now looking like an idiot pointing at a wall, unsure of what to do.

  However…

  Mithra retracted her hand, looking at the curved blade.

  She now understood its usage and the unique power it contained.

  The Unwavering Folding Blade had revealed its capabilities to Mithra.

  Its unique ability was simple: upon unfolding from its folded state, the blade could, regardless of any material disparity, deflect any attack and even counter it.

  In Mithra's simplified understanding, it was a "counterattack."

  The blade’s true effectiveness wasn't primarily offensive, but addressed Mithra's almost complete neglect of defense.

  However, it was a high-risk, high-reward ability. The unfolded blade was incredibly fast, impossible to control precisely, its deployment and folding too quick for the naked eye.

  It required extremely precise activation, and whether it could counter an attack depended on the opponent's specific circumstances.

  Despite this, the "regardless of any material disparity" aspect was simple and impactful.

  Mastering it would require considerable practice.

  Furthermore, the Unwavering Folding Blade was exceptionally docile, even more so than the Xyrin Great Maul, seeming to be a highly reserved entity.

  The moment just now had been a mutual assessment.

  Both sides seemed relatively pleased with each other.

  Just as Mithra sheathed the folded blade, storing it in her arsenal, and considered what to do for the upcoming welcome party, Salomo returned with a young messenger.

  Both wore smiles, appearing in high spirits.

  “Mithra, how is it?” Salomo, seeing Mithra’s empty hands, the folded blade gone, knew she had likely mastered the new God-killing weapon.

  He couldn't help but admire Mithra’s unwavering will, capable of subduing a Wandering God of unknown origin.

  Mithra turned and replied: “Excellent.”

  Salomo smiled: “That's good. Oh, the Xyrin Empire also intends to gift you some rare materials, any kind you desire, as a token of our appreciation.”

  The young messenger quickly nodded.

  Mithra glanced at them, understanding Salomo had likely arranged this.

  She opened her mouth, but found nothing to say and, after a moment, replied: “I’ll consider it.”

  She would ask Matsuri what she needed, any type of material, a broad range.

  And so, this God-killing weapon handover concluded smoothly.

  The messenger quickly contacted his escort team.

  To prevent accidents, the leader was another of the Empire’s Four Knights—Slovenian. Unlike Kimio, he was more reserved, his expression calm to the point of being listless.

  His courtesy towards Mithra was impeccable, without any questioning or challenge.

  Clearly, the Xyrin Empire genuinely wanted to avoid further incidents.

  Were they worried they hadn't provided enough?

  After seeing off the Xyrin Empire's envoy, Salomo took Mithra to visit Sun City's reconstruction zone; Nino was too busy to bother them.

  The visit wasn’t about Sun City, but Mithra’s real estate.

  A large plot of land, comparable in scale to a Dreamland noble’s manor; Salomo explained that it was even larger than the Mayor’s mansion, demonstrating Nino’s sincerity.

  “Renovations will take some time. We'll find a renowned designer to help you design the manor,” Salomo said, gesturing towards the land.

  “No need. I can manage,” Mithra replied.

  Though she said that, she couldn't interfere with Sanctuary and Nino's arrangements; it felt rather strange.

  “And where does Mithra-sama plan to go next?” Salomo subtly inquired about Mithra’s itinerary.

  It was a concern from Miss Orph, who had entrusted Salomo with overseeing and advising on Mithra’s future activities, requiring him to monitor Mithra’s travels.

  He would periodically report to Miss Orph.

  “Rakki or Sella’s New Sea,” Mithra said.

  These were the summer vacation destinations of Nie Hong and Leo Duncan, respectively.

  Rakki, the land of dead dragons, a renowned source of dragon species in Dreamland. Nie Hong, having been escorted by a Rakki dragon envoy during the Xyrin incident, has recently become fascinated by dragon species and wants to visit.

  Sella Kingdom is a coastal nation, and Leo Duncan’s family owns a boat nearby. Leo Duncan wants to take his friends out to sea, arguing that a summer vacation wouldn't be complete without a sea voyage.

  In short, their next decision would determine the order of their travels.