[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-ring-of-fate":3,"chapter-the-ring-of-fate-the-ring-of-fate-chapter-838":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Ring of Fate",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2298807,4496,"Chapter 838: Alternative Feint","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-838",838,"\u003Cp>Albus transformed into a flame spear of blazing white tinged with blue, soaring to the summit of the Bone Peak and hurtling toward Julie’s bloody stain, which was falling toward the charred flag of “0—01”.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet in the blink of an eye, he lost his target, shed his flame form, and landed beside the corpse that should have been bearing the “0—01” flag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the summit of the Bone Peak, opening one’s eyes no longer posed a problem—Albus Medici knew this—but his vision held no trace of the charred banner, nor of Julie’s bloody stain or Chariste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drawing on prior experience, Albus swiftly understood what had happened:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a mirror world—or a “Mirror Labyrinth”!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chariste had waited so long atop the Bone Peak; she could not have made no preparations!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Albus suspected, this was a “Mirror Labyrinth” created by countless mirrors reflecting one another; Chariste stood outside the labyrinth, her gaze sorrowful and distant, watching the bloody stain drift toward the charred flag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, the bloody stain fell slower and slower, as if repelled by “0—01,” yet it still sank inch by inch, merely at a reduced pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Albus attempted to activate the crystal necklace wrapped around his wrist, but no mirror world existed here for him to traverse or escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He confirmed he was trapped within the “Mirror Labyrinth,” and immediately condensed countless blazing white, blue-tinged fireballs around himself, sending them hurtling in all directions to shatter the hidden mirrors composing the labyrinth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “Mirror Labyrinth,” as its name implied, was merely a maze—not a true barrier, possessing no defensive capability!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thunderous explosion erupted nearly simultaneously, yet Albus still failed to break through the “Mirror Labyrinth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a single mirror had been shattered!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Albus’s eyes flickered; he decisively abandoned all similar attempts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the “Mirror Labyrinth,” Chariste felt the shockwaves of the explosions and sneered inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elsewhere, the “Mirror Labyrinth” might struggle to contain a “Hunter” capable of wide-area bombardment—but here, atop the Bone Peak, within the sealed core region of “0—01,” it was perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a “Witch of Pain” tainted to some degree by “0—01,” Chariste, like Julie, could wield a fraction of the power from that special mirror world!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mirrors of her “Mirror Labyrinth” were not atop the Bone Peak—they were scattered among the corpses and bones below, then projected via the special mirror world’s reflections onto the area surrounding “0—01,” forming the labyrinth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Julie’s bloody stain draw ever closer to the charred flag, Chariste felt a surge of joy mixed with confusion, all beneath a foundation of agony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From somewhere, she produced a black-tear-shaped forehead ornament and pressed it to her brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the “Mirror Labyrinth,” Albus calmly lowered his head, half-closed his eyes, and prepared for what he would inevitably have to do next.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He whispered in Ancient Hermes language:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Great God of War, symbol of iron and blood, master of chaos and strife.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he uttered this three-part invocation, the iron-black metal flagpole bearing the charred flag trembled slightly; its drooping banner unfurled fully, snapping loudly in the windless air, each bloodspot upon it growing vividly bright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julie’s bloody stain halted midair, two or three meters from “0—01,” as if held by an invisible hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>High above, the layered clouds spun rapidly into a vortex larger than the peak itself, glowing with faint purple fire; at its heart, something immense seemed to strive to emerge, yet could not pierce the barrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cracking sounds arose around the “Salingel Blood Flag”; fissures appeared out of nowhere and shattered rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The special mirror world covering the summit of the Bone Peak was destroyed; the “Mirror Labyrinth” collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Albus snapped his head up, his eyes now tinged with iron-black, a crimson sigil on his brow dripping with blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze settled on Chariste, who now wore the black-tear-shaped ornament; she looked back at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before either could strike, they saw Lu Mi “easily” scaling the summit of the Bone Peak, now only seven or eight meters from “0—01.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without a word, Albus and Chariste simultaneously attacked Lu Mi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The former swung his fist casually, but torrents of nearly blue flame surged forth, coalescing into a massive fireball; around Chariste’s head, frost formed into countless mirrors, each reflecting a still, sinister, inwardly curled black flame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Chariste’s frost mirrors were about to reflect Lu Mi’s image, his figure faded, vanishing from his spot with a mocking grin on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind him, a colossal silhouette abruptly rose into view, filling Albus and Chariste’s sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figure stood five or six meters tall, still growing, extending in multiple directions; its surface was either covered in brownish bark or swollen with grotesque tree-like growths, from whose cracks clear fluid oozed slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At present, the monster clutched its own head—dragging a bloodied spine—with eyes of silver-white streaked with black, utterly lifeless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On either shoulder, a fleshy lump the size of a human head pulsed with liquid shimmer, its contents unknown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant, the monster leapt onto the summit of the Bone Peak, dropping pools of flesh woven from maggots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind it, countless tendrils of black mist pulled, seeking to drag it back into the smooth, iron-black breastplate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merely witnessing this sight, Chariste and Albus felt themselves being tainted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chariste’s hair whipped wildly, thickening rapidly; Albus’s face erupted with black veins bulging beneath his skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Albus’s massive fireball—nearly blue, still glowing with traces of white—struck the monster; Chariste’s frost mirrors reflected its form, and clusters of black flame engulfed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monster shattered like glass, its form instantly reappearing beside “0—01.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sent a chill down Albus and Chariste’s spines—the monster had a “mirror double.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monster raised its head and emitted a sound seemingly from another world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chariste instantly felt herself plunged into a pitch-black, freezing void, constrained and suppressed, unable to break free for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Albus too was swallowed by thick darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a secret art—inspired by the “Mirror Person” state, created by Gey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Lu Mi, who had “teleported” to the base of the Bone Peak to avoid the prior clash, “teleported” back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His figure materialized within the darkness behind Albus Medici; his mouth opened, and he uttered, “Ha.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pale yellow gas shot forth, striking Albus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Albus’s eyes went vacant for a heartbeat; his body swayed, then recovered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “Red Angel” had absorbed part of the impact of his “Ha” technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seizing Albus’s momentary daze, Lu Mi’s left fist ignited with blazing white flame and slammed toward his weakness—the neck connecting head and body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Reap!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The instant Lu Mi’s fist touched Albus’s neck, the Medici member instantly transformed into a humanoid flame of blazing white tinged with blue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was not the fusion with the flame spear—it was a true transformation into flame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In flame form, Albus’s neck was no longer a weakness!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi’s punch only shook the humanoid flame slightly, dimming it a little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, Albus became a blazing flame spear, bursting free from the cold darkness, soaring into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reversed direction, hurtling downward like a lance thrown from the hidden entity within the vortex above, trailed by dozens of blazing white, blue-tinged fireballs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom! Boom! Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Terrifying explosions engulfed the area, one after another, in rapid succession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This forced the indescribable monster to repeatedly use its “mirror double,” yet it could not escape the blast radius.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi, however, had already “teleported” back to the base of the Bone Peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still can ‘teleport’? Is the Armless Guy still alive?” Lu Mi felt a chill down his spine as he saw Chariste’s face reflected on the iron-black breastplate of a nearby corpse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “Witch” had not used her “mirror double” to endure Albus’s attack; instead, she had thrown a mirror and used the mirror world to swiftly traverse to the wilderness—this had been Lu Mi’s backup plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Chariste did not immediately attack him, Lu Mi turned his gaze back to the summit of the Bone Peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt no regret for failing to eliminate Albus just now—it was precisely the outcome he desired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he truly intended to kill Albus, he would not have used only his own “Reap”; he would have drawn the “Sword of Courage” or enveloped himself in the state of “Desire Incarnate!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I killed Albus right now, who would help me clear Chariste and that monster? Just me?” Lu Mi muttered inwardly with clear malice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His attack had another hidden purpose:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To deceive Albus into believing he had no way to breach his defenses, to make him believe the black bone ring on his hand could not target him!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the critical moment, he could exploit this misjudgment to deliver a “surprise.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thunderous explosions finally ceased; the corpses and bones atop the Bone Peak were severely damaged, and Julie’s bloody stain had dissipated somewhat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The indescribable monster had lost its “mirror double”; its surface was torn and charred black.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Albus, now reappearing, raised his iron-black eyes and pushed his right hand forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dozens of blazing white, blue-tinged firebirds spiraled toward the monster’s abdomen, a relentless, sky-covering barrage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom! Boom! Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monster, battered repeatedly at its weak point, staggered and collapsed, shattering completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Lu Mi immediately drew a straight sword resembling the “Sword of Courage,” “teleported” toward the summit of the Bone Peak, and Chariste was also racing toward it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1566,"2026-06-20T06:22:37.987Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","038c3d61d4b087aa169be3ccf0986917ec77d2db9df4c5eb9a66a6ef0281a7f2","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-839","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-837",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-ring-of-fate-cover.jpg"]