There should have been four people here just now... so why could she only see three?

One was Huang Minzhi—one of Yog’s people. Bound by contract. Untouchable.

The other two were a female warrior and a beastkin cat-girl.

But there had been one more.

Where was he?

Aelthymis narrowed her eyes slightly.

She couldn’t remember.

Her perception swept across the area again. Her gaze scanned the battlefield from beginning to end, yet she still couldn’t find the fourth person.

Aelthymis turned her attention back to Shumi.

If it wasn’t Elarosa, then the "answer" Yog had promised her should be Shumi instead.

Aelthymis had made a trade with Yog using her perfect skin vessel as payment.

In exchange, Yog would help her find the most perfect body in the entire world—the vessel most suitable for her.

That vessel could not be a god.

It had to be an existence beneath divinity.

The losses she had suffered during the conflict ten years ago had been catastrophic.

And when she thought about it carefully...

It was all that person’s fault.

If that bastard hadn’t stopped her from capturing Kumironi, how could she possibly have lost in the struggle over the Moon Sovereigns?

The old injuries she carried still hadn’t healed.

During that battle, her body had been forged into divine-grade material by Aramokh of Forging and Enhancement.

If Aramokh ever found a chance to descend into the world again, he would absolutely seek her out immediately and forge her into his exclusive Divine Artifact.

And that day...

Was probably very close.

She couldn’t wait any longer.

If she continued waiting for balance to collapse naturally, then when that day finally arrived, she would inevitably be forged into a weapon by Aramokh.

So she had to become more aggressive.

Violating the restraints imposed by godhood would cause her to fall from the divine realm in an extremely short amount of time.

The fall itself would take less than half a day.

Even using this avatar only extended that limit from half a day to two or three days at most.

And what Aelthymis intended to do was—

Within those pitifully short two or three days...

Find a new skin vessel for herself.

Fortunately, she was Aelthymis of Skinning and Metamorphosis, wielder of the corresponding Authority.

She possessed the power to change vessels and continue surviving.

To take the strongest body in the world.

Then return to the realm of gods.

Return to her peak condition.

Only then would she possess even the slightest chance of surviving against Aramokh.

And Yog...

Three months ago, Yog had invited her here.

Invited her to make a deal.

He had promised her an answer.

Here, she would find a vessel far stronger than Kumironi’s.

The strongest vessel in the world.

If she could seize that body, then even becoming a Moon Sovereign equal to Yog himself in the future would not be impossible.

Aelthymis knew one thing for certain—

Yog never lied.

Because the moment knowledge began to lie, knowledge itself lost meaning.

From that point onward, all knowledge could become fabricated falsehoods.

Only by speaking eternal truth could Knowledge deserve to be called Knowledge.

Defeating Elarosa had taken barely a second.

Meanwhile, Shumi had already fled an enormous distance away, laying invisible traps throughout the battlefield as she moved.

A Hunter...

One who skillfully manipulated terrain.

Through exploiting enemy weaknesses and utilizing versatile, ever-changing methods—

They hunted.

A Hunter’s combat was not combat.

It was an exquisitely orchestrated hunt planned far into the future.

Aelthymis slowly raised a hand.

"I remember... back in my era, Hunters were described like this."

"So long as they were given a clear target and enough preparation time, even an 8th-rank Hunter possessed the possibility of slaying a god."

"Heh... slaying a god?"

"You haven’t even touched the threshold of divinity, yet you dare dream of killing one..."

Shumi’s slit pupils trembled violently. Her long tail stood perfectly rigid.

Rip!

Aelthymis hadn’t even approached her.

Yet Shumi’s skin began curling upward on its own!

"You... are a genius too."

"To think you reached 8th Rank in such a short time."

"Oh~ so it’s a Death Contract."

"You traded your life and future for temporary explosive potential?"

"Tsk. You no longer have even the slightest possibility of advancing any further."

Shumi’s traps were still ahead of her.

Every inch of space was covered.

Yet Aelthymis’ hand had already gently brushed across Shumi’s shoulder.

"I can smell the hatred clinging to your skin."

"Driven by vengeance, you traded away your future for temporary power..."

"What a waste of talent."

"You originally possessed at least a tiny chance of becoming a god..."

"But a skin vessel like yours isn’t my type."

Every strand of fur on Shumi’s body stood upright like needles.

She spun around instantly, dagger flashing as she prepared to strike—

But at the very instant she attacked—

Shrrk!

Her entire arm split apart into thread-like strands.

The slender dagger shattered alongside it.

Slash!

In the next instant, Shumi herself exploded apart like unraveling ribbons.

She wasn’t dead.

She had merely been split into strips of skin—

Skin no longer under her control.

"So neither you nor her..."

"Then could it be you?"

Aelthymis looked toward Huang Minzhi.

At this moment, the aura radiating from her was horrifying beyond measure.

Huang Minzhi trembled slightly as he bowed respectfully.

"Lady Aelthymis... as a disciple of Lord Yog, my talent is dull and insignificant."

"There is naturally no possibility that I could be the one you seek."

"Besides, I possess the body of a monster—"

Smack!

Aelthymis couldn’t even be bothered listening to his explanation.

She had already appeared beside Huang Minzhi, one hand pressing onto his shoulder.

Instantly, the flesh across Huang Minzhi’s body split open in numerous places.

But Aelthymis quickly released him again.

"Looks like you really aren’t."

"Interesting."

"Yog told me to wait here."

"He said that as long as I waited here, I would definitely find someone whose physical talent far surpassed even Kumironi’s."

"It isn’t you."

"And it isn’t them."

"So what are you implying?"

"That Yog lied to me?"

A trace of anger crept into Aelthymis’ voice.

She had remained here while risking a fall from godhood itself.

If all this turned out to be for nothing, then before long, she would completely fall from the divine realm.

Her strength would become even weaker than it had been before she ascended to godhood.

How could she not be furious?

Yog’s reputation had endured since ancient times—

The God of Knowledge who never lied.

Could it be that he had broken his eternal principle just to trick her into falling from divinity?

If so...

That would be utterly despicable.

Aelthymis’ expression shifted unpredictably as anxiety consumed her. Her divine perception repeatedly swept through every corner of the surrounding space.

"Lady Aelthymis."

"Lord Yog... would never speak falsehood."

"If He said your answer was here..."

"Then it must be here."

Must?

You mean to tell me that my divine sense is incapable of detecting an existence beneath godhood?

Aelthymis was just about to erupt—

Rip!

In the next moment, a long gash split across her body.

Her entire upper torso was severed open as the two halves began sliding apart diagonally.

She immediately turned, trying to see who had launched the attack—

Slash!

Her head flew upward.

Sent soaring at terrifying speed.

As her vision spun through the air, she saw an extraordinarily handsome young man gripping a violet longsword.

Countless slashes overflowing with the aura of destruction rapidly expanded before her vision, already engulfing her airborne head.

This speed—

So fast!