At the very instant she saw the silhouette, Bernadette had no time to feel fear—her instinct immediately grasped her right hand, forming an ancient lance. From tip to hilt, the lance was streaked with clusters or patches of deep, blood-red hues, radiating a powerful aura of destruction, as if capable of harming even the true gods. "The Lance of Lançus!" This lance, which first appeared in times so ancient that their origins could no longer be traced, having absorbed the blood of a great being, now manifested through "mysterious reappearance" within the sanctuary of the "Black Emperor." Yet Bernadette's forward thrust achieved no effect, for the lance's tip was directed toward her back. Though she intended to strike the figure before her, the Lance of Lançus unexpectedly extended backward. It seemed as though the space around her—front, back, left, right, and above—had become disordered or warped. Above the gray mist, within the palace, Klein had already sensed it—the moment the shadow emerged before Bernadette—and without hesitation, raised his "Staff of the Stars" in hand. At that instant, he did not wait, nor did he pause to observe Bernadette's response before deciding whether to offer protection, for the severity of the shadow had clearly signaled to him, as an angel of prophecy, an urgent premonition. Moreover, more importantly, since Bernadette entered the Black Emperor's tomb, she had repeatedly sensed the presence of the shadow, while Klein, despite the authentic vision provided by the Source Fortress, could not detect any trace of it. This无疑 indicated something terrifying and dangerous. As the various gems atop the black staff began to glow, a resonant chime echoed suddenly throughout the area where Bernadette and the shadow stood. And then—! The bell's resonance, coming from an infinite distance, carried an indescribable sense of vastness, causing an evident stillness and solidification within the "Black Emperor," freezing Bernadette's form as though encased in ice, rendering her unable to move. Yet the black silhouette did not sink into the vortex of time; instead, it seemed to exist in a world governed by entirely different underlying principles, gliding steadily between the two conflicting currents of fate—one surging, the other nearly still. It appeared only that its movements had slowed, unaffected by the ethereal chime. This was the first time since Klein had simulated this ability through the "Staff of the Stars"—though the resulting effect undoubtedly differed from the original—had encountered such a phenomenon. While the simulated effect, though impressive, could not fully replicate the original's authority, it still conveyed a tangible presence, not easily dismissed. Nevertheless, the slowed motion of the silhouette provided Klein with a renewed opportunity to attempt his second move. This time, he activated the inherent power of the "Staff of Stars," intending to transfer the "Mysterious Queen" out of the "Black Emperor's" mausoleum so she could first summarize her experiences before deciding whether to proceed. As the gems at the staff's head one by one flashed, Bernadette's body, which had been nearly fused with the shadow, vanished into thin air. The next instant, she appeared dozens of meters away, near the elevated platform within the mausoleum. The transfer of the "Staff of Stars" was disrupted, the intended destination warped, and everything appeared profoundly disordered. Bernadette, seasoned and composed, did not panic or become agitated by her lingering within the "Black Emperor's" realm. She swiftly raised her left hand, placing the "Wise One's Diadem" against the center of her forehead while simultaneously tracing the mask of "Pale Death" with her finger. The mask, previously gleaming with metallic luster, suddenly softened and began to quiver rapidly, as though forming a face entirely distinct from Bernadette's. That face, with its gentle features and clear South Continent characteristics, exuded an eerie, profoundly terrifying presence, compelling every witness to believe that as soon as its contours became sufficiently defined, it would come to life—rising from the ancient depths, from the eternal darkness where the dead slumbered. At that moment, Bernadette's body, spirit, and consciousness would fully belong to this face. As the face emerged and gained prominence, the stone walls and floor tiles within the Black Emperor's tomb began to weather at an astonishing pace, as though in just a few seconds they had endured thousands or even tens of thousands of years of erosion. They rapidly became weathered, shedding fragments and dust carried by the wind, while fine, pale tufts of hair sprouted between the cracks. Within a mere blink, these tufts grew into white feathers, their surfaces seemingly stained with a faint yellowish oil. The aura of the black figure itself was gradually fading, as though steadily hastening toward its final destination—death. Its color has noticeably faded, and its movements have grown increasingly sluggish. Within the range of that pale mask, even the very concept of "death" itself begins to weather and fade away. Yet, "death" is not the final destination. Once the stone walls and floor tiles inside the mausoleum have weathered to a certain extent, and once that figure of black has decayed to a particular stage, new stones begin to form, and the ethereal atmosphere rapidly expands. During this process, the black figure extends its right hand forward. This hand, composed purely of shadow, reaches out across a distance of several tens of meters and instantly grasps Bernadette's neck! This is not achieved through the elongation of the arm, but rather, at that very instant, the concept of distance becomes disordered—forty-five meters becomes forty-five centimeters. The dark hand exerts only a gentle pressure, merely making Bernadette feel a sensation of cold. In this coolness, she found herself unable to utilize the two "Level 0" seals—the "Wise One's Crest" and "Pale Death." Normally, as long as she poured her spirit and focused her intent, the seals on her body would respond appropriately, producing varied effects. But now, this default process and set of rules had been disrupted and distorted. No matter how hard Bernadette thought or maneuvered her mind, the seals remained utterly still. She felt as though she were speaking to empty air. In fact, at this moment, simulating the fairy-tale magic of the "origin of the peach" might have been more fitting. However, considering that Bernadette had once been a "mystic," Klein believed that "spatial concealment" was a better choice—otherwise, the secrets of the "Fool" might inadvertently come to light. As for how Bernadette learned "spatial concealment," it was naturally taught to her by Fleur, the newly appointed "magician." Previously, Klein, under the name of the world of Germain Spalro, had leased the "Travel Notes of Leiman" and specifically requested that the "magician" lady record the relevant abilities in advance. He then repeatedly cast spells, recorded them, and gradually retrieved the complete "Travel Notes" from the historical haze. In no time, he had mastered both the knowledge and techniques necessary to simulate spells such as "spatial concealment." As the gems on the "Staff of the Stars" began to glow, the area where Bernadette stood deepened slightly, as though draped in a veil woven from shadow. The curtain twisted, concealing that space and isolating the black shadow and its palm from the outside. This restored freedom to Bernadette's neck. The very next instant, the palm, forcibly separated, extended forward and touched the boundary of the hidden space. At that moment, within the otherwise unremarkable void, a transparent, vortex-like "door" appeared—more precisely, the already-existing "door" emerged from its concealed position and moved actively toward the black palm, opening before it. — Every hidden space must necessarily have a "door," but the door's location depends entirely on the creator's intention. The shadow-formed palm swiftly passed through the opened "door" into the concealed space, grasping Bernadette's neck once more and disrupting the connection between the "mysterious queen" and the seals upon her body, thereby distorting the corresponding order. At the same time, the black figure lifted its head and gazed toward the apex of the mausoleum. It seemed to be examining the "Source Citadel" and Klein within it, through layers of time and mist. Klein's eyelids instinctively fluttered. He sensed that the figure had a deep understanding of this place, and that it was somehow distorting things around it. Klein's expression gradually became unusually solemn, and various gems on the "Star Staff" in his hands began to glow simultaneously. He was attempting to "steal" the figure's corresponding extraordinary ability—only then would he have a chance to contain that shadow. To increase the likelihood of a successful "steal," Klein turned his left palm and lightly tapped the edge of the weathered long table. Yet, his attempt failed entirely—he gained nothing at all. For his target had already escaped the lock. Though the figure remained in place, it had already broken free of the hold! Klein's gaze instantly froze, then saw the shadow flicker and enter the concealed space, closing the distance between himself and Bernadette. This... it distorted my true perception, making what I saw reflect conditions from just one second ago—perhaps even two seconds ago. A thought flashed through Klein's mind, forming an initial judgment of the earlier failure, and he decided to summon the historical aperture image of Will. Oncent, to "restart" the events unfolding in this region. At this very moment, Bernadette, unable to draw upon her seals, found white, ethereal swan feathers sprouting from her back. This is the fairy-tale magic known as "the duckling," allowing Bernadette to reveal an incomplete mythical ecosystem while maintaining her mental clarity—twice daily, each lasting fifteen seconds. Just then, her thoughts surged once more, boiling and accelerating into chaos. As a result, her "duckling" magic failed to take effect and was immediately interrupted. Almost simultaneously, she saw the shadow press against her body, seeping in like a thick, highly corrosive liquid. Bernadette's gaze darkened, suddenly becoming aware, and seizing the last moment of clear thought, slightly opened her mouth and pronounced a Chinese word with precise, clear intonation: "homeland..." The erosion of the shadow paused momentarily, and its upper body slowly lifted, turning to gaze at Bernadette.