The black substance coating Morningstar’s body shifted forms at her will—turning transparent, vanishing, or morphing into any hue. As it writhed, her sensitive skin registered every subtle movement: a faint tickle blended with something strangely alluring…

Morningstar had never seen anything so wondrous. After playing with it awhile, she settled on her usual outfit—a jacket and jeans. She couldn’t stand skin-tight clothes that left little to the imagination, nor dresses meant for girls. This felt right. True, it didn’t showcase her figure, but she didn’t care.

Dressed at last, she finally dared to examine herself. Raising both hands, she gently caressed her cheeks. Outsiders might’ve called this face celestial beauty; now, beneath her own fingertips, it felt soft, smooth, undeniably real.

To her surprise, she’d expected revulsion—but felt none. Once the tingling numbness in her limbs faded, every inch of her body hummed with comfort. Every cell thrummed with indescribable power.

The world sharpened around her. Without even looking, she sensed every detail in the room. What lay dozens of meters beyond the walls? Nothing escaped her awareness. It felt divine—like everything existed within her grasp.

For the first time in memory, Morningstar felt utterly reborn. A fleeting thought whispered: *Was my human life… wasted? Compared to this, humanity feels so small.*

“How foolish of me to resist becoming this powerful… Wait—wait! What am I thinking? Humans? *I’m* human! I can’t get obsessed. I need to go back.”

Snapping awake, she realized her thoughts had twisted. She was actually *disdainful* of her former self.

“This body’s influencing me. I won’t let it control me.” She lightly slapped her cheeks, shaking off the intoxication.

“Master,” a voice murmured, “only you command the world’s most wicked substance. Paint this world in darkness.”

Morningstar tilted her head. “Evil? Doesn’t feel evil. Kinda… sexy, actually.”

“Now that I’ve merged with this body—can I leave?”

Though her memories held no dark magic, instinct guided her. She raised a slender finger. A black fireball bloomed at its tip. The air chilled instantly.

With a flick, the flame struck the stone wall—and melted through like sponge meeting fire.

“Master, this is Black Flame. It consumes all.”

“Whoa, Naruto?” she muttered. Impatient, she wrapped herself in black fire and walked straight through the wall.

Crafted from anti-magic stone, it should’ve blocked all spells—but to a Dark Sorceress, it crumbled like foam. Effortlessly piercing dozens of meters, Morningstar stepped into a vast cavern.

Life pulsed ahead. And there she saw it: a girl suspended mid-air, limbs bound by countless chains.

Silvery-white armor glowed faintly over her slender, curved frame. Golden hair cascaded to her waist like a waterfall. Holiness radiated from her—yet tainted by corruption. Foul black mist seeped from the chains, staining her limbs. The armor there had turned jet-black, darkness creeping upward. Only her chest and abdomen still gleamed silver. Even the ends of her golden hair had bleached snow-white—matching Morningstar’s own.

“Who is she?”

“The Divine Clan’s Holy Maiden of Light,” the voice replied. “Three thousand years ago, after defeating you, Master, they sealed your body here. Dark energy leaked anyway. To protect the world, the Divine Clan sent their strongest Holy Maiden to suppress it. She saved the outside—but her body corroded. Even Holy Light couldn’t withstand your darkness.”

“So she’s been holding this alone for millennia… sacrificing herself for peace.”

“You overestimate her, Master. This is the *second*-generation Holy Maiden—she’s lasted mere centuries. The first one succumbed to corruption and sparked the Second Human-Demon War.” A disdainful chuckle. “Heh. If you hadn’t slaughtered every clan’s elites a thousand years ago, how could that impostor dare call himself Demon King? But fake is fake. Even weakened, the clans drove him to the frozen wastes of the far north.”

“Huh…” Just fragments of history, yet Morningstar found this world strangely captivating.

“Master, she’s half-corrupted already. You’re not at full strength—you need followers. Corrupt her. Her will is strong, but a century of erosion has broken her. It’ll take almost nothing.”

“Corrupt her?” Morningstar stared up. The armor was more black than silver. She *knew*—one touch of darkness, and this Divine Maiden would fall into demonhood.

But…

“I… I can’t.” She shook her head. The human warmth still glowing in her soul refused.

“Is that so? Very well~” The voice held no disappointment. Of course not. After twenty years as human, her Master would still cling to mortal compassion. But she knew—it wouldn’t last. This Dark Sorceress body was pure corruption. No soul, however pure, could stay untouched for long.