In the kaleidoscope-like dimensional gap, Ophis had taken on a human form, casually draped in a robe of magical energy, and gazed at the scene before her with half-closed eyes.
A massive red head with large golden eyes loomed before her.
"Oh, it's so big…"
The head was so enormous that everything else was obscured from view.
And...
It's only been a hundred years...
Not to mention mastering it, I haven't even managed to precisely extract the energy yet...
[Ah, I forgot to mention that the information you received is just one possibility among many. It might be a 0.02% chance among 9,998 0.01% chances, or even more exaggerated. So, the reference level... is up to you to decide. After all, the information is nearly incomplete, right?]
At this moment, the voice in Ophis's mind seemed to be apologizing.
Why wasn't this mentioned earlier...
Indeed, the fragmented memories didn't include any record of how Ophis was expelled by the Red Dragon God Emperor. Originally, Ophis had planned to wait until she gained some strength to make her own judgment based on relevant clues...
It seems I took it for granted.
If someone wants to take over your territory, they'd have to wait until you're strong enough to resist, right? Wouldn't you?
So, there's probably no point in trying to greet our kin now, right?
Should I run? Or should I run? Or should I run?
Despite the urge to flee, Ophis hesitated.
She was deeply fond of this place, not just because it offered the tranquility she cherished in the cracks of this dimension.
After all, this was her birthplace, her 'origin.'
The Ouroboros itself carries an original concept, and the place where she was born held a special significance for her.
It was definitely not a place she could abandon lightly.
However, Ophis also understood she had no other choice.
"You, you want to expel me?"
Finally, Ophis addressed the true Red Dragon God Emperor before her.
Indeed, before her stood the legendary strongest dragon, born from illusions and in charge of dreams, the Red Dragon God Emperor, known as the true dragon.
Ophis had never encountered anything like this before, and merely standing before such a powerful entity was overwhelming.
"This is my territory."
The Red Dragon God Emperor succinctly expressed her thoughts, fully displaying her rogue spirit.
"Yeah…"
Seeing that the other party seemed uninterested in attacking, Ophis relaxed slightly and looked at one of the Red Dragon God Emperor's eyes...
There was no way to see both at once from this distance.
After pondering for a moment, Ophis stepped back and took another look.
From this perspective... it's truly intimidating.
Her body, still growing, was only about a third the size of this majestic red dragon.
Yet, despite the fear, Ophis continued to stare into the enormous golden pupils.
"One day, I will reclaim my original silence... the Great Red."
───────────────────────────────
[Even though I said it so boldly, I was still expelled by the other party.]
"There was no other way. The difference in strength is too great."
Looking back at the slowly closing entrance to the dimensional gap, Ophis turned away with an expressionless face.
"Qi, is it hard to get up?"
[Well, after all, a being with such a terrifying presence suddenly appeared.]
Qi had always been in Ophis's consciousness, but she was away most of the time... As Qi put it, she fell into sleep to conserve energy, with an irregular sleep cycle.
Sometimes Ophis couldn't wake Qi no matter how hard she tried, and sometimes she appeared unexpectedly.
Generally speaking, Qi spent far more time asleep than awake. In the past hundred years, Ophis had sensed Qi's presence for at most one ten-thousandth of the time.
Even when Qi was awake, she would merely observe Ophis's training and offer a few tips before falling back to sleep.
Ophis was accustomed to this quietness; it was preferable to having someone constantly chattering in her mind.
[So, what are your plans now?]
"…"
Ophis remained silent.
Her home was gone, and she didn't know what to do next.
Become stronger and fight back?
That was a long way off.
Moreover, after seeing the Great Red, Ophis had a sense that defeating the opponent would require breaking through an incredibly difficult peak...
It was a level that seemed to transcend the constraints of the world, and Ophis couldn't even begin to fathom it.
Ophis thought about her options in the "knowledge."
Her power was limitless. If she found a few expendable allies and shared her power with them, it could be a tremendous boost for them without weakening herself.
If enough people joined forces, could they defeat the Great Red's head?
Although the chance seemed slim... it might be worth a try.
With her knowledge, she could identify trustworthy individuals, at least to some extent.
Wrong...
Those who can be fully trusted generally lack ambition, and their desire for her 'snake' is relatively low, making it less likely they'd be willing to help.
And...
Thinking of the Milk Dragon Emperor from her memory, Ophis fell deeper into contemplation.
I feel a bit repulsed... by people like that...
It's better not to rely on them.
Furthermore, when dealing with the Red Dragon God Emperor, quality outweighs quantity. Low-level minions can only be dealt with by range attacks in the first wave.
Let it be...
Ophis shook her head, temporarily pushing the thought aside.
[Looks troubled?]
"Hm... I find the Great Red difficult to deal with."
[Indeed, such a being... is quite special.]
Ophis sensed the other party's uniqueness, but she didn't press Qi for details, understanding that if Qi wanted to share, she would.
"If I can't fully control my power right now…"
Ophis glanced around and noticed the two approaching humanoids.
"A demon…"
No wonder the atmosphere was so dark—this was indeed the underworld...
Seeing their malicious expressions, Ophis frowned and waved her hand gently.
A terrifying burst of energy erupted, flattening the land around her.
As for the two low-level demons, they were obliterated without a trace.
[Ah, that's indeed quite terrifying.]
Such power could significantly harm even higher-level demons if they weren't careful, but against the Red Dragon God Emperor, it would be like a tickle.
Ophis couldn't focus enough energy to launch a concentrated attack of that magnitude.
"It takes... too much time."
Looking at her palm, Ophis shook her head.
[Okay, the noise just now was quite loud; it should attract the attention of some powerful beings. Let's leave first. You wouldn't want to face demon king-level entities right now, would you?]
Indeed... the demons of this era are quite unfriendly.
But where could she go?
[If you're in trouble, why don't we assist you?]
"Assist me?"
[Actually, as long as you have enough mental power, I can transport you to another world. I've been sleeping to accumulate enough mental power.]
"Is that enough?"
[It's far from enough... But I left behind a very special energy before... With that combined with my current mental power, I should be able to transport you to another world.]
"What effect?"
Ophis noticed the mention of a special effect.
[Fate Replacement... As the name suggests, it transfers a person's fate to yourself. You can also think of it as completely replacing the other person... With the remaining power, I can use this ability once.]
Upon hearing this, Ophis frowned.
Replacing someone's fate... sounds a bit unsettling.
As if sensing Ophis's thoughts, Qi began to explain in her mind.
[You need to understand that this is about replacing fate, not existence. Replacing existence means you take the place of another person, but replacing fate means the other person never existed. If you can't accept that, I can find a parallel world instead. Replacing one individual won't erase the other person.]
It's not so much about acceptance; it's just a bit awkward...
Ophis thought for a moment and finally asked her most pressing question.
"Can I become stronger?"
[I can't control whom the fate replacement affects, but it will definitely be beneficial for the future. Additionally, replacing fate doesn't mean you must follow the original fate line. The real replacement only affects the timeline before the switch. From the moment of replacement, it's your own path.]
Ophis considered that there was really nothing left for her in this world.
In this era, divine weapons might not even be created yet.
Finding a place to stay and practicing for countless years was an option, but even then, she would only reach a level similar to her current knowledge.
Still, it wouldn't be enough to face the Great Red.
Choosing to travel through worlds... the Ouroboros ability to adapt through self-reference could be useful. By experiencing more and gaining richer experiences, her future could differ significantly from her original path... right?
"Then, let's do it."
Finally, Ophis nodded in agreement.
[Really? Then get ready and we'll begin.]
"Well, I swear to reclaim the original silence…"
Ophis looked up, making a shooting gesture toward the sky.
"At any cost…"
Babylon