Spur's voice gradually grew distant and indistinct, while countless petals drifted in the breeze and slowly settled across every corner of the world.
Whether it was the dark clouds and blood moon in the sky, or the Yellow Springs and scattered bones on the ground, all were now stained with layers of petals.
Yet something strange occurred.
The Yellow Springs water—normally capable of rapidly eroding all life from any plant and dragging it into eternal decay—was completely unable to affect these illusory petals.
Before long, the blood-red surface of the Yellow Springs was covered by a thick blanket of white petals.
From afar, it looked as though a heavy carpet had been laid across the river of death.
"The petals are oval-shaped, wide and thick, with tips that curl outward and wavy edges. They share about a 65% resemblance to lilies. However, the stems are slender and soft, covered in fine fuzz and scattered thorns, resembling rose-family plants by roughly 75%."
Streams of light flickered across 'Hel's' eyes as she surveyed the petals scattered throughout the world, deep in thought.
"Each petal contains an intense aura of life. Yet they exist in a state of emptiness—neither fully present in reality nor completely absent. Is this the special trait of that plant?"
Her gaze shifted to the small tree Spur had summoned earlier.
It had now grown to half a person's height. Countless vines intertwined to form a thick trunk, while its crown was composed entirely of withered flower buds.
A tree made of flowers?
Her mind raced as information from the S-rank Gnome Database flashed before her eyes.
Yes—this body was now being piloted by Niv instead of Hel.
With the help of an external brain module and the temporary Death Magic traits Hel had installed, Niv could barely unleash part of the body's true power.
Unlike Hel's reckless combat style, Niv preferred calculated, analytical battles.
"So that's what it is."
Niv smiled as she calmly revealed her conclusion:
"The Mother Tree of the Flower Spirits. According to legend, at the end of the Fourth Epoch, it exiled itself into spatial turbulence to avoid destruction by the One-Eyed Giant King. In the Fifth Epoch, it was captured by the fairies, who fused their magic with it, transforming it into a half-real, half-illusory existence.
Gnome records say the tree vanished along with the Fairy Empire. Who would have thought it would reappear after more than an entire epoch?"
She glanced again at the petals covering the world.
With feedback from her psychic perception and the external brain's calculations, she had already deciphered Spur's method.
"Using the Authority of Flowers to control the Mother Tree, releasing petals that carry fragments of its properties as a form of attack.
Because the petals exist across two dimensions, the Yellow Springs can't affect them. But their half-real nature allows them to influence reality instead.
However, how do you plan to counter the suppression of the mental world?
Wait… the Authority of Flowers represents rebirth through abundance, doesn't it?"
Niv's lips curled upward—she had seen through his strategy.
With a wave of her hand, Hel's mental world rapidly contracted.
In an instant, it was reabsorbed into her body, leaving behind only a ruined wasteland corroded by the Yellow Springs.
The red-black soil reeked of unbearable decay.
Even if Spur's mental world hadn't been completely destroyed, restoring it would take years.
And the moment it vanished, the petals that once covered the entire world scattered again.
This time, however, they were different.
Thin vines began to sprout across their surfaces, some still bearing traces of Yellow Springs residue.
"I take back my earlier judgment.
This isn't immunity through intangibility. It's the result of two epochs of evolution in spatial turbulence—an ultimate defensive adaptation, along with the ability to absorb nutrients from any environment."
She checked her readings.
"In that brief moment just now, the Yellow Springs volume dropped by 3%. So this is your real attack method."
Niv turned and smiled behind her.
There stood a figure composed entirely of petals, holding a staff high in an attacking stance.
"You've been muttering to yourself this whole time. Do you really think destroying my mental world means victory?
A Holy Inquisitor who has lived for over a thousand years possesses far more trump cards than a newborn insect like you could ever imagine.
Even if you saw through my plan, what can you do against absolute power?"
With an enraged roar, Spur slammed his staff downward.
The air filled with the rustling of countless petals—like the whispers of a storm, or the low roar of dragons.
Billions of petals converged, swirling violently, forming nine colossal flower serpents, each over a hundred meters long.
They lunged at Niv from every direction—above, below, front, back, left, and right.
She was instantly engulfed in a sea of petals.
Even top-tier Saint-level experts would struggle to survive such an assault.
And Niv wasn't even a true Saint yet.
Without the full Authority of Death, she couldn't draw out this body's complete power, nor could she cast Hel's highest-tier death magic.
At best, she was merely a newly advanced Saint-level necromancer.
Against such overwhelming force, she had no way to defend or evade.
But… did she really need to?
Niv smiled brightly.
Because her master would handle everything.
She raised her staff and released the spell she had prepared long ago.
[Advanced Death Magic: Castling.]
In an instant, the black-dressed Niv vanished from the flower storm.
In her place stood Hel, dressed in white.
Facing the crushing tide of petals, Hel showed no panic.
She slowly lifted her small hand.
The next moment, the onrushing petals froze in midair—as if someone had pressed the pause button on the world itself.