Boom!

A deafening explosion reverberated as the woman was thrown against the corner of the colosseum. She spat out a mouthful of blood, her face filled with surprise as she gazed at Alice.

"You're even better than I imagined...

" The woman rose to her feet, wiping blood from the corner of her mouth.

"I suppose I, Lancy, will need to take you more seriously! Once I defeat you, I'll ascend the ranks and become a high-ranking official of the Walpurgis Night!

"

Her energy surged, and a potent elemental power emanated throughout the area. Lightning crackled from above as Lancy drew her soul weapon-an elegant pair of golden daggers.

"Your ambition is to climb the ranks of the Walpurgis Night? Did you betray your comrades for that?

" Alice's voice was icy, and the temperature plummeted. The ground beneath her began to freeze.

"Do I need any other reason? The Walpurgis Night means everything to witches like me. You wouldn't understand, being an outsider,

" Lancy retorted as she advanced toward Alice.

The two stood face to face, locking eyes as their energies clashed in the air, sending sparks flying.

This was the Witch Rite of Duel—a battle where participants fought until only one remained alive. According to the intel, the victor of this contest would be rewarded by their dreams.

Edern and his comrades were barred from this event due to certain regulations. They had learned about it from historical records left by witches who once governed the Dream Palace. These witches had used the Rite of Duel to select a champion from among the Walpurgis Night citizens, indifferent to the casualties, focusing solely on the outcome.

Swoosh!

Lancy swung her daggers, but Alice deftly evaded by stepping backward. She countered by thrusting her spear upward, colliding with Lancy's daggers, then redirected her weapon, pushing it forward.

Lancy widened her eyes and tilted her head as the spear grazed her cheek, drawing blood that swiftly froze into ice. Gritting her teeth, she pushed forward into the chilling aura surrounding Alice's body.

Bang!

Lightning erupted, countering the cold energy. Lancy swiftly moved her hands, swinging her daggers in rapid succession.

Her speed had dramatically increased.

In the Witch Rite of Duel, the more participants you eliminated, the greater your power grew. Lancy had already claimed lives before encountering Alice, granting her a surge of Dream Power. She had not been this formidable from the outset.

Intoxicated by her newfound strength, she realized she had ascended to the level of some elites. Though she remained distant from true elites like Lorna and others, she believed she could reach that level.

"Just perish!

" Lancy cackled madly, relentlessly swinging her daggers.

Swoosh!

Alice staggered back, blood flowing from a gash across her face.

Lancy raised both hands, summoning lightning from above. The bolts formed a net that enveloped Alice.

"Lightning Visage!

"

The area blazed with intense light as lightning struck forcefully. Alice dropped to her knees, tasting blood in her mouth.

"Hehe, look at you!

" Lancy mocked, eyeing her opponent's battered state.

Alice gazed at Lancy and spoke calmly,

"Enough...

"

Rising amid the onslaught of lightning, darkness and frigid energy radiated from her feet. In an instant, the platform was engulfed in darkness, forcefully dispersing the vibrant lightning that had filled the surroundings.

Ohm!

"W-What is this?!

" Lancy's eyes widened in astonishment as she beheld a massive sphere of bluish flames enveloping her opponent's body.

Clang!

A metallic sound rang out as a bracelet fell to the ground.

With a gust of wind, the bluish flames dispersed, revealing Alice's transformed appearance.

Her hair had turned silver, gradually fading to a light blue at the tips. Her skin was pale, almost devoid of color like porcelain. Her irises had transformed into slits encircled by a crimson ring. Black horns protruded from the sides of her head, and a blue flame danced on her forehead.

"Heavenly Demon's Aura...

"

Alice's voice echoed powerfully as the ground trembled beneath her. She slowly raised her hand, and her spear flew into her grasp.

"Y-You're a demon?!

" Lancy's eyes widened in shock as she subconsciously took a step back.

"That's correct,

" Alice replied coldly, pointing her spear directly at Lancy.

"Secret Technique: Heavenly Demon's Dark Spiral!

"

Darkness surged from beneath Alice's feet, gathering at the spear's tip and swirling menacingly toward Lancy.

"Damn it!

"

Lancy attempted to evade, but the swirling darkness closed in swiftly. She used her daggers to fend it off, but the force behind the attack shook her entire frame.

Bang!

The darkness dispersed, revealing Lancy with eyes ablaze with anger. Dream power vibrated wildly around her, altering the terrain with each passing moment.

"You'll meet your end today, demon!

" Lancy's voice dripped with lethal intent.

"You lost the moment I realized we were alone. I'm not an ordinary demon, so I'll offer you my condolences,

" Alice retorted coldly before thrusting her spear forward.

"Secret Technique: Destruction Divine Strike!

"

The attack was swift and unstoppable. Darkness surged instantly, obliterating everything in its path. Lancy's eyes widened in horror as her dream power proved powerless against the relentless darkness hurtling toward her.

"ARGHH! NOOO!!

"

Lancy's voice faded as the darkness swallowed her whole.

Alice surveyed the aftermath of her destruction. She exhaled deeply, wiping sweat from her forehead. The technique she had unleashed was one of the secret arts reserved for Demon Spirits in the Heavenly Demon Palace.

"Demon Spirit

" was a term used in the Demon's Land, equivalent to an SSS-rank in the Giza Continent.

The technique had drained a significant amount of her stamina and mana, as she was not accustomed to using it.

There were still techniques suitable for a Demon Spirit, but Alice hadn't had the time to practice those skills yet, so she could only rely on this one.

She retrieved her bracelet, causing her appearance to revert to normal.

"Now that I've dealt with that woman...

" Alice muttered, glancing upward as she sensed

dream power gathering above.

...

At the altar, Edern observed with anticipation. He noticed the altar emitting a faint light and trembling slightly.

"This is... The Witch Rite of Duel is concluding...

" Edern grinned broadly.

He hoped the victor would receive something significant from the Rite of Duel. All the

powerful knights produced in the past had emerged victorious from the ritual.

"If my assumptions are correct, then there's one thing left from the past. I'll finally meet my long-awaited death.

"

People like Edern would typically engage in combat with all the participants in the game. However, Edern and his family chose not to participate in such conflicts, instead activating the Rite of Duel in the hopes of creating an expert who could handle these challenges. For those associated with the Dream Palace, death was the furthest outcome imaginable.

Ohm!

A blinding light erupted from the altar, and a figure emerged from it-it was Alice. Edern stepped forward eagerly but was abruptly repelled by a powerful force. He flew several meters back, realizing he had forgotten the rules binding him from approaching the altar.

"Are you alright?

" Alice inquired as she approached Edern.

"I'm fine. This won't kill me; I've tested it before,

" Edern assured as he got back on his feet.

"You've tested it?

" Alice raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I tried approaching the altar to see if the rules could harm me, but it only pushed me away without causing any damage,

" Edern explained, gesturing dismissively.

"Anyway, did

you receive something from it?

"

"Yes, I did,

" Alice confirmed.

...

Meanwhile, in the Demon's Land.

A man with silver hair and a pair of black horns sat on a throne, his eyes closed. Slowly, he opened them, revealing slitted pupils with a crimson ring around them.

He was Lucifer, the Great Demon Emperor of the Heavenly Demon Palace.

"Just now... I sensed Alicia releasing her demonic powers. It's strange-she's in the Dream

Realm, yet I can't pinpoint her location. Something is blocking my ability,

" Lucifer murmured in a low voice.

Lucifer couldn't help but feel a sense of amusement. A faint smile crept onto his face.

"This is intriguing... There are very few beings capable of matching my power over dreams. I never expected my daughter to seek refuge in the Dream Realm. She's exceedingly cautious and to think that already attained the rank of a Brigade Commander in my army.

" Lucifer glanced towards the door and commanded,

"Gather an army to invade the Dream Realm. I will open the way to the Dream Realm so find my daughter, Alicia, no matter what.

" His voice resonated throughout the entire palace, reaching every demon's ears.

"There's nothing you can do to stop me. Your mother's protective spells shield you from

direct detection, but you cannot hide forever. The more you face opponents beyond your current capabilities, the more you will rely on your demonic powers.

"