With the unwavering support of everyone, the monthly ticket count has finally reached a new height. I am deeply pleased and incredibly grateful. We are still a tiny bit short of the five-hundred goal, so I beg you not to abandon me—please offer your support for these last few days.

As the Gate of Light materialized, only excitement and ecstasy filled the eyes of Laplace’s Demon. He could sense that power—a force intrinsically opposed to him yet intimately linked—and he knew that if he could claim that power, he could finally fulfill his lifelong ambition… to soar as high as the sky allows the birds to fly, and leap as wide as the seas allow the fish to swim, finally unshackled.

"Eh! Is that...?" However, as the Gate of Light became clearer, a figure vaguely discernible within it seemed about to fly out, and a sudden, unsettling feeling washed over him.

"Seal!" Laplace’s Demon was decisive. Realizing the danger, he acted instantly, pouring all his strength into an attempt to close the Gate of Light, abandoning the ideal he had pursued his entire life.

But, as always, he was a step too late.

Just as the Gate of Light was about to be sealed, a hand suddenly thrust out from within, clenched tightly, and shattered his sealing efforts as if they were mere tofu.

Then, the clenched fist slowly lowered, offering him a contemptuous middle finger.

"Damn it! Why is it you?" All traces of his previous carefree ease vanished. Laplace’s Demon glared fiercely at the Gate of Light, his expression one of grinding teeth, wishing he could blast it into dust.

Yet, he didn't make a move, because… he dared not.

"Don't you know? There’s a legend that gathering the seven Dragon Balls summons the Dragon God. See? You’ve successfully summoned me. Congratulations. So, what wish do you want to make?" A teasing voice drifted from the Gate of Light, and then a figure strode out, smiling at him… It was Lin Luo!

"Impossible! You should have vanished already…" Although he had confirmed the identity of the newcomer earlier, seeing him in person still sent a wave of near-collapse through Laplace’s Demon—a mixture of rage and disbelief.

"I actually have you to thank for this. If you hadn't suddenly appeared, I might never have found my way home," Lin Luo said calmly, his demeanor entirely different from their last encounter.

This was only natural. He was no longer merely at the peak of the Earth Tier; he was a genuine Celestial Tier expert now!

It was precisely because Laplace’s Demon sensed that overwhelming aura that he refrained from action.

But just because he dared not act against Lin Luo didn't mean he couldn't strike at others. Mercury Lamp was caught in his seal, like one of his puppets; with a mere thought, he could manipulate or crush her. Thus, while outwardly feigning a readiness to fight Lin Luo to the death, he was actually preparing to use Mercury Lamp as a hostage to threaten him.

However, before his thought could fully solidify, Lin Luo was already before him, his fist slamming heavily into Laplace’s Demon's face, instantly sending him flying. "Just as there was a vast gulf between you and me back then, there is now an insurmountable distance between you and me, who is nearly stepping into the Half-Celestial Tier. Surely you understand even that much?"

As soon as Lin Luo finished speaking, the figure of Laplace’s Demon, blasted toward the horizon, snapped back instantly, suspended motionless in the void.

Laplace’s Demon could offer no resistance to the power of the Celestial Tier.

Doomed… At that moment, Laplace’s Demon saw his own end.

Lin Luo knew his origins, Lin Luo knew his purpose, and Lin Luo knew exactly what he had been doing all along. And Laplace’s Demon knew that Lin Luo knew all this, which meant he also knew Lin Luo would never let him go.

"I didn't expect that after all the winding paths, I’d end up back in your hands. Indeed, I cannot defy fate," although Laplace’s Demon accepted his impending death, he showed little fear, maintaining a calm expression.

It wasn't that he wasn't afraid, nor did he lack the will to resist, but at this juncture, none of it mattered anymore.

"Don't rush. I have one more thing to do first," Lin Luo said mildly, then thrust his right hand, sharp as a blade, shhhk, into Laplace’s Demon’s chest. With a forceful yank, he dragged a white figure out from within Laplace’s Demon.

This person wore a white suit, had short golden hair, and possessed a face that was both androgynous and beautiful, with eyes as clear and pure as lake water. Lin Luo looked at this person, just like the little sprite hiding in the corner of his house all those years ago… There was no need for explanation; this person was Shinku, who was also Rozen!

Legend claimed that Rozen vanished after failing to create the perfect doll, Alice, leaving in despair. But that was not the truth. Rozen had been there all along, right inside Laplace’s Demon!

The truth of this matter required delving into the identity of Laplace’s Demon…

Back then, when Lin Luo retrieved the Fifth Element from the Forbidden Zone of Life, nothing appeared to happen on the surface, but in reality, he had unintentionally released a Great Demon—this Demon was Laplace’s Demon.

Just as the world has light and dark, good and evil, the very root of this world operates similarly. The positive aspect is naturally the Fifth Element, and the negative aspect is Laplace’s Demon. They are symbiotic, born of the same source, yet fundamentally opposing forces. The primary reason the Fifth Element was buried in the Forbidden Zone of Life was to suppress Laplace’s Demon.

But because Lin Luo took the Fifth Element, Laplace’s Demon regained his freedom. As the root of evil, his power was unprecedentedly immense, perhaps second only to the Sin Dark slain by Nanoha. However, Laplace’s Demon had one desire: to escape this world… or, more accurately, this was his instinct.

At Laplace’s Demon's cultivation level, he was only a hair's breadth away from the Half-Celestial Tier, but relying solely on his own power, he could never cross that final line. This was the limitation of being the root of evil, perhaps even his fate. His only hope of breaking free of this world was to devour the Fifth Element.

Originally, he could not have managed this, but after Lin Luo divided the Fifth Element into seven parts, its essence underwent a subtle alteration, which created the possibility for him to consume it.

Thus, this led to the previous battle between Lin Luo and Laplace’s Demon.

After Laplace’s Demon was sealed by Lin Luo, he finally broke free after countless years. Guided by his innate sense of the Fifth Element, he soon located Shinku… or rather, Rozen.

But after thousands of years, Rozen was no longer the Shinku of the past. She already possessed astonishing talent, had received Lin Luo's true teachings, and years of fighting demons and monsters had elevated her strength to surpass even Lin Luo’s past self. Several confrontations with Laplace’s Demon had ended in stalemates.

Though Rozen was powerful, before achieving the Celestial Tier, she required a physical body. This was unlike Laplace’s Demon, the root of evil, who could exist regardless of body or death count. Therefore, a war of attrition was highly unfavorable to Rozen, especially since she also had to protect the Fifth Element and the Rozen Maiden dolls.

So, in one of their battles, taking advantage of Rozen’s weakened state, Laplace’s Demon devoured her.

However, Rozen was still Rozen. Even after being consumed, she managed to retaliate. The ultimate result was this: neither Rozen nor Laplace’s Demon realized that Rozen had been absorbed, and moreover, Laplace’s Demon’s very nature suffered irreparable damage. He could no longer devour the Fifth Element in its Holy Mother form, nor could he touch it with his physical body. The only recourse was for the Rozen Holy Mother to revert back into the Fifth Element.

Consequently, Laplace’s Demon orchestrated the Alice Game, forcing the Rozen Maidens to destroy each other.

Originally, Laplace’s Demon did not possess the authority to do this. But the problem was that by consuming Rozen, he had, in essence, become an avatar of Rozen. And when Lin Luo left in desperation, he had entrusted all the Rozen Maidens to Rozen… This entrustment was not merely verbal; it included complete control over the Rozen Maidens. Thus, Laplace’s Demon gained this authority, presiding over the Alice Game as its administrator.

Holding the Alice Game to meet the perfect doll… this command was never issued by Lin Luo or Rozen. Everything was a deception woven by Laplace’s Demon in pursuit of devouring the Fifth Element.

In truth, if this scheme had proceeded smoothly, he would have succeeded eventually. However, two factors prevented its smooth execution: the first was Mercury Lamp, and the second was Snow White. The former was a doll already deceased, lacking any Rozen Holy Mother; the latter was a doll without a body, relying on nothing from the Rozen Holy Mother.

The existence of these two anomalies greatly complicated Laplace’s Demon’s plan, yet he could not forcefully intervene, especially regarding Mercury Lamp. The moment she received the Rozen Holy Mother, she simultaneously became a host; how could a mere Laplace’s Demon possibly control her?

Of course, if Lin Luo had arrived in this world immediately after encountering Mercury Lamp, given Lin Luo’s strength at that time, he would absolutely have been ground into dust by Laplace’s Demon, thus realizing his ambition.

But regretfully, the moment Lin Luo signed the contract with Mercury Lamp, the vision of Rozen he saw in his Sea of Consciousness gave him a premonition of trouble. Coupled with Mercury Lamp’s own inner turmoil, they simply did not arrive.

And so, the situation devolved to what it is now.

Ultimately, Laplace’s Demon had failed completely, and all that awaited him was the certainty of death.

However, because neither Laplace’s Demon nor Rozen were aware of the fact that "Rozen had been devoured by Laplace’s Demon," both were momentarily stunned, displaying expressions of utter shock as one saw a person emerge from his body, and the other saw himself emerging from someone else’s.

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