Huh?

Seemingly sensing something vaguely, the black-haired woman who was about to touch the Raven Masked Man's head abruptly withdrew her hand.

"Hmm?"

Feeling the movement, the Raven Masked Man, who was waiting with his eyes closed, opened his eyes in surprise.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing..."

Hesitating for a moment, the woman named Xuebei replied with a somewhat awkward expression:

"I just felt as if someone licked my palm... but it must have been just an illusion, right?"

"Of course, it's an illusion!"

Hearing this, the Raven couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"I'm not the least bit interested in you! How could I possibly lick your hand?"

"I'm not saying you did. I mean, I just had a strange feeling... never mind, it's not important."

Shaking her head slightly, she brushed off the odd feeling and once again reached out to touch the mask on the Raven's face, transforming the black Raven mask into a white wolf head mask, then advised:

"All set. From now on, you will be me, and I will be the Level 1 Cleaner from Aquarius Branch who was killed ten years ago.

If the Food God and the Aquarius Chief come down together, then simply don't run and directly use my life to threaten them. But if the Aquarius Chief comes down alone, just throw me at him... Got it?"

"Got it, I guess..."

After reaching out to touch his own face and looking down at his much skinnier body, the Raven, with the wolf head mask on, couldn't help but question:

"So, your plan is to disguise as a person who died ten years ago and ambush the Aquarius Chief again?"

"Why? Is it not possible?"

"..."

Not possible? Of course not!

Facing the black-haired woman's rhetorical question, the Raven couldn't help but speak with a speechless expression:

"That person has been dead for ten years. The Aquarius Branch Chief isn't stupid. How could he fall for such a dumb trick? He'd have to be brainless to think you're that Cleaner!"

"You're right, it's impossible for him to fall for it."

Nodding in agreement, the black-haired woman smiled and then asked in return:

"But what if I truly am?"

"???"

What are you talking about?

"After I killed this woman ten years ago, I didn't destroy her body and soul. I ate her completely.

Even later, during 'digestion', I didn't use rough methods, so she was able to hang on through sheer will for ten years in my grasp... And just as I could eat her whole, I can also bring her out whole."

After gently touching her own fine face, the black-haired woman continued to explain in a kindly manner as the Raven's eyes widened in shock:

"I'm not trying to disguise as this woman to ambush the old man from Aquarius Branch, but to let him 'see through' me as a fake, and personally kill this woman.

And his Heart Lake has already had some leakage due to the previous ambush, and once we uncover the truth and he learns everything, even if he doesn't break down, his Heart Lake is bound to receive another blow!"

"Hiss..."

Seeing the Raven gasp, Xuebei, with a smile that was slightly teasing, speaking with the face of the female Cleaner:

"As the God of Illusions and Heart Lake, my specialty is dealing with people whose hearts have huge 'wounds'.

Even if I'm way weaker, and can't control the Aquarius Chief, as long as his Heart Lake is thoroughly disturbed, I can stuff endless illusions into his soul.

And when everything he sees, hears, touches... even what his instincts tell him can't be guaranteed real, he won't be able to do anything."

"..."

"Do you have any more questions?"

"None..."

Shaking his head subconsciously, feeling a bit creeped out by the charmingly smiling Xuebei, the Raven Masked Man decided to change the topic:

"Since you have a plan ready, should I proceed now?"

"Yes."

With a slight nod, the black-haired woman turned around, gazing towards the vast scarlet Molten Magma Pool deep within the Earth's core.

Countless ochre giant bricks formed a stone ceiling of sorts, extending from the view in front to an unimaginably distant end, covering the seemingly endless Sea of Lava, with only slivers of blazing red light seeping through fragmented gaps.

"Raven, remember to destroy all the [Silent Stone Bricks] at once, no room for error."

With a gentle wave over the stone ocean before her, breaking about a pool-sized area of stone bricks, the black-haired woman gazed at the rapidly spreading sea of repair from afar, her face lit by the red hue, as she advised:

"This item was created by the third-generation Director of Taurus at the Clean-up Bureau specifically to seal the Great Court Ten Clans. As long as this ocean of stone bricks has even one [Silent Stone Brick] remaining, the Earth's three seedlings in the Stone Marrow World can't emerge, so you have to..."

"I know, I know!"

The Raven, seemingly a bit impatient while focusing on something, repeated:

"Stone Sea above the Molten Magma Pool, Moon of Drought in the Sea's Moon, Tree's Land under the Cloud Country; Silent Stone Bricks unmoved, Stone Marrow flows unending; Tranquil Dried Fish doesn't swim, and without swimming, Sea Eye stays hidden; Still Tree Flowers don't bloom, and without blooming, not even a feather can fly.

I may not have been part of those events back then, but I've heard enough over the years... In any case, whether unmoved or unending, as long as I destroy all Silent Stone Bricks in one go, then we've succeeded!"

After stopping Xuebei, who was about to say more, the Raven Masked Man spread his arms open, allowing a thick black mist that almost dyed the world in ink to spread rapidly in a turbulent and riotous air.

Soon after, countless completely black ravens emerged from the Raven Masked Man's body, scattering with sharp, piercing cries, flapping wings full of ominous energy as they crashed into the white dome above, studded with stalactites...

BOOM!!!

...

What is that noise?

Feeling the intense rumbling from deep within the Earth's core, as if the ground was wailing, Leon, who was following the tracks left by the Heart Lake God, couldn't help but frown, a faint sense of foreboding arising.

From the direction of the sound, it appears to be very deep within the Earth, which means either the True God from the Slaughter King Association and the Aquarius Chief have started fighting, or they are beginning to dismantle the seal on the Stone Marrow World.

If it's the former, then it means Director Baltro has caught up, which is a good thing, but if it's the latter...

"Leon!"

And just as Leon frowned, preparing to recall some of the Nightmares and the Nightmare River to sacrifice power for more speed, the voice of the female Cleaner suddenly called from behind.

"I smell it! This time it's truly Uncle Grandfather's scent! The direction is the same as the one you chose. This time... Oh no! I also smell blood! Uncle Grandfather is hurt!"