For uncounted centuries, the young girl, bearing an incomplete body, traversed era after era, her sorrowful cry never ceasing, searching day and night within the Domain of N. Door after door, Father, where are you? Her trace was left at every turn; silver-white hair cascaded wildly over her form, her crimson eyes brimming only with sorrow…

“I’ve found you, Father, I can finally see you.”

Seated atop a wooden trunk, soaring through the sky in this unfamiliar world, the gentle breeze lifted her silver locks. Her black wings were her strength; the maiden’s smile bloomed like a flower, her eyes alight with hope and expectation.

She was... Shinku.

Shinku remembered clearly the seventeen days since arriving in this world. She could feel that Father was near; just a little more, just a little more, and she could meet her beloved Father. When that time came, surely she could…

“Found them.”

Just then, a voice filled with surprise rang out from below. Shinku looked down to see two men standing on the ground: one missing an arm, his face grim, and the other a plump figure clutching a staff… If Lin Luo were here, he would certainly know their identities.

They were Mo Xinming, master of the Book of Nenshi, and Kosaka Taiga, master of the Book of Demonic Arts. Without a word, Kosaka Taiga, his eyes gleaming with fierce joy, suddenly pointed his staff, and a fire dragon roared toward the sky.

“Fools, are you Father’s enemies?” Shinku’s expression didn't change; the wooden trunk drifted gently aside, instantly evading the fire dragon’s attack.

Then, looking at the two men on the ground, a cruel smile touched the maiden’s lips, and she spoke in a deep, magnetic voice, “That would be for the best. If I slay the two of you, Father will surely be pleased and won't abandon me again…”

“Heh.” The girl grinned, and in an instant, countless feather arrows shot from her black wings, aiming for the two below.

“Tricks of the trade.” Kosaka Taiga sneered, waving his staff again. A visible magic shield materialized around him, completely blocking the attack from the black wings. Mo Xinming’s Nenshi shield was already active; the black feather arrows could not penetrate at all.

“Oh, not bad. Mere humans managing to block my attack,” Shinku chuckled dismissively. Suddenly, she rose from the trunk and flew directly into the sky, a fire dragon streaking beneath her feet.

“I can see attacks coming from behind, too.” As she spoke, more arrows erupted from her wings.

Swish-swish-swish-swish… It was like a downpour, yet even under this barrage, Mo Xinming and Kosaka Taiga, protected by their barriers, remained unharmed.

“Just a mere doll, don't get too arrogant!” Mo Xinming roared. His entire body suddenly shot upward, enveloped by invisible Nenshi that ignored the feather arrows as he lunged toward Shinku.

Meanwhile, Kosaka Taiga’s advanced magic was complete; two fire dragons attacked Shinku from different directions.

“Hmph.” Shinku snorted coldly. “How sly, teaming up—truly cunning. I won’t fight you anymore.”

Suddenly, a light wall, like a mirror, appeared behind the maiden. She leaned back slightly, and before the attacks could reach her, she slipped inside the light wall.

“What is that?” The attacks of the two men halted abruptly. Although Shinku was gone, the mirror remained suspended in mid-air.

“Is she trying to lure us in?” Using wind to elevate himself, Kosaka Taiga stood before the mirror and asked his companion.

“Hmph. The host chosen by the Heart of the World is truly strange, possessing a doll. Still, since she’s a doll, there’s nothing to worry about. We saw her power just now; at best, she’s only at the beginning of the Spirit Rank. Nothing major,” Mo Xinming said disdainfully. Then, with a slight shift, he quickly darted into the mirror.

Kosaka Taiga hesitated for a moment but quickly followed. It was rare to encounter a host, especially one whose strength wasn't overwhelming. To let her go would be a great waste. For the sake of the Heart of the World, this risk was worth taking.

“Where are we…” Upon entering the mirror, both men froze. They were now in an environment completely different from before.

This place resembled a city—a ruined city, dark, desolate, and lonely. Broken houses, furniture, and dolls littered the area, and garbage was everywhere. Even above their heads, a shattered city hung inverted.

“Welcome to my world.” Shinku’s voice echoed around them.

They instantly looked up. There, suspended in mid-air, the petite, black-winged maiden stood with her arms crossed, gazing down at them with a smug, rather haughty expression.

“This is your world?” Mo Xinming asked instinctively.

“Of course. I trust you’ll be satisfied with your burial ground,” Shinku said, grinning proudly. This was the inner world she had created. If defined by the standards of the Moon World, it could be considered Shinku’s inherent boundary, though the essence held some distinctions.

“Hmph. You’re the one who’s going to die here, pitiful doll,” Mo Xinming sneered. Suddenly, he kicked out with his right foot, sending a discarded refrigerator hurtling toward Shinku like a cannonball.

“Such arrogance.” Shinku ignored it. Without any apparent action from her, the hurtling refrigerator stopped half a meter in front of her and dropped limply to the ground.

“This is my world. Everything unfolds as I wish it to, including your lives,” Shinku sneered. Suddenly, her crimson pupils glared, and a crack-crack sound emanated from the ground.

“What is this…” Mo Xinming and Kosaka Taiga’s expressions shifted dramatically. They saw the countless broken dolls scattered on the ground or buried in the dirt seeming to come alive, surrounding them in a tight circle.

“You are unworthy of sharing an equal standing with Father…” Shinku clasped her slender hands together in front of her chest, tilting her head slightly in an elegant pose. Then, she said softly, “To ensure you become incomplete and ugly things, I shall turn you into cast-offs.”

As her words fell, all the dolls lunged toward the two men.

“Hmph. You think you can defeat us with these weaklings? Don't be absurd!” Mo Xinming’s face was full of disdain. He thrust out his fists like lightning; tangible Nenshi, carrying absolute destructive power, shattered every single doll in an instant.

Beside him, fierce flames erupted around Kosaka Taiga, and countless dolls quickly turned to ash under the scorching heat.

“You too. Soon I will make you the same as these things—worthless trash that no one cares about.” Mo Xinming stomped hard on the ground, springing up like a coiled spring toward the maiden in the air, attacking her with both fists.

“Trash? How dare you call me trash! Unforgivable, absolutely unforgivable!”

Suddenly, the maiden seemed provoked, grinding her teeth, a vicious glare in her eyes. Even her beautiful face contorted, showing the depth of her fury.

And the transformation wrought by this anger was startling: her black wings, previously less than half a meter long, instantly elongated outward, becoming two colossal black dragons in a single moment, roaring in savage fury.

“Damn it!” Seeing the black dragons rush toward him with gaping maws, Mo Xinming’s face changed. He quickly dodged to the side, but there were two dragons. He barely evaded the first one, and before he could stabilize himself, he was slammed directly into the ground by the second. Then, the two black dragons began pounding him like giant fists.

“I am Shinku, not some scrap heap! I am the fiercest Rozen Maiden, steeped in the dark night, bearing the stigma of the inverted cross! I will turn you into garbage, so let me make you into scattered wreckage! Then, Father will love me even more… Ahahahaha!”

Amidst the maiden’s wild laughter, her fierce assault continued.

Even with the Nenshi shield protecting him, Mo Xinming struggled to endure the continuous, overwhelming bombardment. He could feel the shield gradually collapsing… Damn it, even a doll shouldn't be underestimated. Ultimately, she was the host of the Heart of the World; she couldn't be judged by common standards. Damn it, I was too careless!

Mo Xinming was filled with regret and hatred, but he was currently powerless to counterattack. Just as she said, this was her world, where her power could be exerted to its maximum, and perhaps even beyond.

BOOM!

Just then, an enormous fire dragon erupted from the ground, charging fiercely toward Shinku… This was Kosaka Taiga’s fire magic. Although the Walkers guarded themselves for personal gain, if Mo Xinming were destroyed now, Kosaka Taiga wouldn't escape this world alive either. He seized the opportunity to attack.

“There’s still one more? I almost forgot. Damn it,” Shinku grit her teeth hatefully, forced to divert one black dragon to counter the enemy's fire dragon.

Instantly, one black and one red giant dragon became entangled, emitting fierce roars.

“Inferno Rain!” While controlling the fire dragon, Kosaka Taiga raised his staff, and countless flames descended from the sky like raindrops, shooting toward Shinku.

“I hate red! And I hate that you people possess red!” Shinku shouted sharply, extending her slender finger forward. Innumerable black feather arrows shot upward.

Dark Night Torrent!

Because Shinku was distracted by the clash with Kosaka Taiga, the force of her attack on Mo Xinming weakened considerably. Mo Xinming finally seized this chance to escape from under the black dragon and roared as he charged toward Shinku… He was confident that once he closed the distance, her actual strength was nothing to fear.

Facing the combined assault of the two, Shinku finally felt immense pressure, anxiety flickering in her eyes.

“Father… I must win, for Father…”