Morning sunlight streamed through the window as Mio opened her eyes. The first thing filling her vision was a pair of plump, bare breasts. The shocking sight jolted her fully awake. She lifted her gaze slightly to find Aimee’s serene sleeping face, innocent as a newborn babe. Mio raised her head, silver strands slipping over her shoulders. Only blankets remained on Aimee’s bed—sometime during the night, she’d crawled into Mio’s. Any man would lose control waking beside a half-naked, defenseless beauty. But… Mio glanced down at her own body. A slight swell of her chest and pink buds came into view—undeniably a girl’s form. *Damn Yao Ye. Stuck me with this body. If she’d given me a young man’s instead… maybe I’d even feel a trace of gratitude.*

As Mio sighed inwardly, the sleeping Aimee suddenly reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace. Their bodies tangled—a breathtaking scene of two beauties entwined. Mio struggled hard to free herself from that soft prison. After dressing, she grabbed a bucket and headed downstairs.

The inn, Migratory Bird Pavilion, sat on the edge of the commercial district—remote but peaceful. Run by a woman nearing forty, it was kept afloat by her two daughters and three slaves. Clean rooms and low prices drew repeat guests. Despite its location, business thrived.

"Morning, little miss," the innkeeper drawled, puffing on her pipe. "You two made quite a racket last night. I thought you’d sleep till noon."

"My apologies," Mio recalled the previous night’s chaos. "My companion… clings to me a bit too much."

"Wouldn’t have guessed you were the ‘older sister’," the woman leaned in, stroking Mio’s silvery hair. "Such rare, well-kept locks. You must be some noble’s daughter. A princess, perhaps?"

"Just a free citizen," Mio smiled wryly. "Even the nation of my birth is gone."

"Ah… life’s thrown you quite the storm," the innkeeper patted her shoulder. "Keep fighting, child. Survive this beautiful, cruel world."

After bidding farewell, Mio carried her bucket to the backyard well. In the distant stable, a gray horse chewed hay while watching her. She deliberately ignored it. The bucket splashed into the deep well. Hauling it up, she poured the clear water into her own bucket. Swirling ripples reflected the dawn. She splashed her face and hands—the icy water banishing lingering sleepiness. Patting her cheeks, she confirmed she was ready. Dumping the dirty water, she drew another bucketful and carried it back upstairs.

Aimee was awake, brushing her hair. Mio set the bucket down and urged her to wash.

This world had no toothbrushes or toothpaste. Even soap was a luxury; towels were out of the question. Bathing meant communal baths. Mio and Aimee descended to the first-floor dining area. Breakfast cost one copper coin each. After paying the innkeeper, Mio took a wooden tray to the kitchen counter.

Serving food was Lira, the innkeeper’s fifteen-year-old daughter. Freckles dotted her face. As usual, she wore a gray dress under a white apron, her chestnut hair braided neatly behind her. Though a year older than Mio, Lira’s youthful innocence made Mio seem the elder when they stood together.

Lira glanced at Mio, placing soup, bread, and a small dish of pickles on her tray. Mio nodded thanks—the girl’s cheeks flushed pink. Setting the food on the table, Mio nibbled her bread absently while Aimee devoured everything with terrifying speed. A chill swept in from the entrance. Mio turned sharply.

Deus stood in the doorway, clad head-to-toe in black, bowing lightly to her.

"Good morning," he beamed, sunshine in his smile.

Mio scanned the room. No one—not even Aimee—had noticed the uninvited guest. Unfazed by their indifference, Deus strode straight to Mio’s table and sat beside Aimee. *Talking to the Reaper now would make me look insane.* She resolutely ignored him.

"Mio?" Deus leaned closer. "Even you ignore me? I’m heartbroken!"

*Get lost. Far away. Don’t forget—I despise all gods. Every single one, including you, Reaper, is my enemy.*

"How cruel…" Deus clutched his head dramatically. "Aren’t we friends?"

*Who’s your friend?!*

"Mio," Aimee looked up, shivering. "Why does it feel so cold all of a sudden?"

"Just your imagination," Mio shot Deus a piercing glare. "Eat while it’s hot. The soup’s perfect. Bread’s crisp. Pickles are flavorful. A flawless breakfast."

Aimee squinted at Mio’s side—unable to see the Reaper—then returned to her feast.

*What do you want?* Mio’s eyes locked onto Deus.

"Three men were murdered in an alley last night," he said quietly. "Such terror before death… their souls should be wandering in agony. Might even turn vengeful. But I can’t find them. Their souls vanished. No trace."

*Is that strange?* Mio took a bite of bread.

"Of course it’s strange!" Deus raked his hands through his hair. "This isn’t normal! Absolutely not!"

*How so?*

"Souls don’t just disappear after death!" Deus stared at her. "It’s as if something… consumed them."

*Consumed?* A sharp pang shot through Mio. She remembered the darkness coiled deep in her own soul. Black sludge erupting from Frostwind Fortress—devouring everything alive. Humans. Animals. All gone.

"Ugh, more work," Deus sprang up. "Sorry, must run! Good chatting with a friend who actually talks back. Ha!"

*I hope you never come back.* Mio threw the thought at his retreating back. Unclear if he heard.

The rest of the day, Mio buried herself in the library, devouring knowledge about this world. Aimee stayed quiet at first, but grew restless. Eventually, she slumped onto the table, fast asleep. Librarian Gaurin beamed all day—Mio had slipped him another gold coin upon entry.

Dusk painted the windows. Ancient redwood bookshelves cast long shadows. Closing a leather-bound tome, Mio gazed at the sleeping Aimee. This girl carried the title Sword Saint. Before meeting her, she must have been wound tight as a bowstring. So young, yet burdened with such weight. On the path to swordsmanship’s peak, she’d sacrificed her youth.

Mio looked down at her own hands resting on the book. Delicate wrists like glass figurines—fragile enough to shatter with a touch. A girl’s hands. Nothing like her original ones.

In her old world, her arms were biomechanical combat prosthetics. Titanium bones sheathed in artificial muscle. Hands that could crush steel. A warrior’s hands. Hands that had buried countless Celestials and Demigods. These slender fingers belonged to another world. A body thrust upon her. Utterly alien.

"Knowledge is power," Mio leaned back, silver hair spilling over the chair. Beside her, a mountain of books bathed in twilight. Their heavy covers breathed ancient wisdom.

"And what knowledge do *you* seek?"

A voice answered from nearby. Mio snapped into combat stance—divine energy pulsed close. Her Punisher pistol flashed from beneath her cloak, aimed at the speaker. But only a bespectacled old man stood there, tidying shelves. He looked like a university professor.

"May I ask who you are?"

"I am Wisdom," he said gently, glancing at her gun. "Knowledge and Wisdom’s god. No need for alarm. I hold little combat power. I mean you no harm."

Pointing a gun at a library elder was terribly rude. Mio awkwardly holstered the Punisher and reopened her book.

"This book’s misplaced. Tsk. Librarians grow lazier each generation." Wisdom muttered, adjusting shelves. "Ah, and this one—the protective runes on its pages have faded. Can’t they hire an enchanter to renew them? The parchment will rot otherwise."

Clatter. Clatter. Wisdom worked diligently—far more earnest than the coin-loving librarian. Mio closed her book again, watching him.

"Why does the God of Wisdom work as a librarian?"

"Because I am a god," Wisdom replied, sliding a volume into place. "Gods have duties. Mine is to share knowledge and wisdom with those who crave it."

"I don’t understand," Mio shook her head. "Can gods just appear before humans here?"

"In your world, do gods not walk among mortals?" Wisdom countered. "Beautiful traveler… did your world’s deities neglect their duties?"

"In my world," Mio said flatly, "humans and gods are at war. Celestials and Demigods descend to slaughter and destroy. We fight back with technology. Every day, brutal battles rage across the globe. Angels. Demigods. The gods behind them—all my enemies."

"Then I am your enemy too?"

Mio’s silence was her answer.

"Here, humans and gods coexist," Wisdom placed another book carefully. "Without humans, gods fade. Without gods, humans couldn’t survive this perilous world. You’ve read enough to know—mana density here is extreme. It twists living things into deadly monsters. Humans lack the means to fight them. That’s why we gods exist. We protect our believers. They need our strength. We depend on each other."

"The Reaper explained this," Mio sighed. "But I still can’t see gods as anything but enemies. I spent most of my life at war with them. These hands buried countless angels… even gods."

"*The Reaper*…" Wisdom grimaced. "You’ve met a dangerous fellow."

"Even Death won’t grant me peace," Mio swung her legs idly, stretching. "He’s such a nuisance—always dropping by to chat. Since no one else sees him, talking back makes me look mad."

"Hah… that boy was born from humanity’s fear of death." Wisdom’s eyes softened behind his glasses. "He’s just… terribly lonely."

Wisdom finished his work and walked over to Mio. "Let’s return to our initial question—what kind of knowledge are you seeking?"

Mio gazed into Wisdom’s eyes with her blood-red pupils and quietly spoke the answer. At this response, the God of Knowledge and Wisdom’s eyes widened in shock.

"The method to slay gods." That was what Mio sought.

Silence. A deathly silence enveloped them. Wisdom, as the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, naturally knew the answer, yet he found himself unable to utter it.

"Why do you seek to slay gods?" he asked.

"I will kill Yao Ye and shatter her Divine Core with my own hands," Mio clenched her fists, fury surging deep within her crimson eyes. "This is the sole purpose for which I still live. For me... for... I... I must..."

Unbeknownst to her, crystalline tears spilled from her eyes. Mio wiped her face in surprise as Wisdom silently offered a white silk handkerchief.

Just then, a longsword clattered down between them. Furious, Aimee stood atop the table, gripping the sword hilt tightly.

"Was it you who made Mio cry?" she raised the sword high. "Die!"

"Stop it! Stop it!"

Before Wisdom’s head could be severed, Mio leaped up with astonishing force and tackled Aimee onto the table. They crashed into the towering pile of books, which collapsed with a thunderous crash.

"What’s going on?" Gao Luyin rushed over at the sound. Seeing Wisdom’s wry smile, his flabby cheeks froze. "The God of Knowledge and Wisdom! Lord Wisdom! What brings you here?"

It took over ten minutes for Mio and Aimee to reshelve all the books. Though the book mountain had collapsed, Wisdom’s divine power protected the precious tomes. Gao Luyin fawned over Wisdom, pouring tea and massaging his back. Once all tasks were done, Mio and Aimee approached the deity with heads bowed.

"I’m sorry, Lord Wisdom," Aimee apologized with her head bowed. "I was half-asleep just now. I heard Mio crying and saw you sitting across from her, so I swung my sword without thinking... I truly apologize."

Beside her, Mio breathed a sigh of relief. Aimee hadn’t heard her wish—to slay gods.

"I’m truly sorry as well," Mio joined in the apology. "I got too emotional, and before I knew it, tears just started flowing."

"Those were surely tears of awe, shed from being deeply moved by the presence of the great God of Knowledge and Wisdom," Gao Luyin flattered from the side. "Praise Lord Wisdom! Praise the God of Knowledge and Wisdom!"

But Wisdom remained completely unmoved. Mio thought to herself, "If this fat man were a bit more diligent, he might earn the favor of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom."

"It’s getting late. I must take my leave," Wisdom stood up, gazing at Mio. "If, when we meet again, your resolve remains unchanged, I will fulfill your wish."

Startled, Mio stared blankly at Wisdom, but his figure dissolved into countless particles of light and vanished into the air.