Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

"I should have died a long time ago."

Eustina repeated, her metal mask drooping slightly: "I should have perished along with my kin. I survived until now, created Givotos, but because of my stupidity and gullibility, I have turned it into a breeding ground for monsters... This is my sin, and I should be the one to end it."

The moment she finished speaking, the thick metal armor on her chest began to crack.

The first metal plate peeled off and struck the black stone slab on the ground with a dull echo.

Then came the second and third pieces—like layers of rotten tree bark peeling away to reveal the contract patterns beneath.

At the intersection of all the patterns, a flame is burning.

Its color is a deep golden-red, but its core has an eerie, dark blue hue.

The flames flickered, each leap affecting the energy flow throughout the cave and even causing visible distortions in the surrounding air.

Lin Yi's gaze fell on the ball of flame.

Yustina's voice grew even weaker, each word seeming to be squeezed out from the depths of her chest: "I used the last of my divine soul power to temporarily suppress its control, but it won't last long. My soul... is dissipating."

She raised her remaining left arm, her metal fingers pointing to the flame in her chest.

"Outsider, while I still control this body... destroy it. Release my imprisoned soul, and let all of this... end."

Lin Yi did not respond.

He simply looked up at the ten-meter-tall metal giant, his gaze lingering for a moment on the mask pieced together from countless metal fragments, before moving on.

He took three steps forward, his legs slightly bent, his toes lightly touching the ground.

The next second, he leaped into the air.

His black robe fluttered in the airflow as his body traced a straight path through the air.

This height is unattainable for ordinary people, but for Lin Yi, it was just a simple leap.

Justina seemed to have anticipated his actions.

She raised her only remaining left arm, her metal hand outstretched, and caught Lin Yi just as he reached the highest point of his leap.

The palm of his hand was large enough for Lin Yi to stand steadily.

Yustina moved her hand to her chest, stopping where the flames were burning.

From this distance, Lin Yi could see the details of the flame more clearly.

It is about the size of a basketball and floats at the center of an energy array composed of countless fine lines.

Inside the flames, countless tiny runes could be faintly seen flowing.

Deep within the flames, there was a tiny humanoid outline—the core of Eustina's imprisoned soul.

Lin Yi stretched out his right hand, fingers spread, and slowly reached towards the flames.

The moment my fingertip touched the edge of the flame, a strong repulsive force came through.

The power of contracts resists any external interference.

But Lin Yi's hands did not stop.

His fingers pierced through the outer layer of the flames, reaching deep into their core.

The power of the abyss surged from his body, spreading along his arm and condensing into an extremely thin black film at his fingertips.

The moment the thin film came into contact with the flame, it emitted a piercing friction sound, like metal scraping against glass.

The flames began to struggle violently.

It was no longer a stable mass of energy, but transformed into countless tiny fire snakes, attempting to scorch Lin Yi's arm.

Lin Yi's arm began to show fine burns, and charred marks appeared on the surface of his skin, but as soon as the wounds appeared, they were quickly repaired by the surging life force within his body.

New life and destruction tug at his arm, each burn and healing completed in the blink of an eye.

His fingers continued to penetrate deeper.

Finally, they reached the very core of the flames—the intersection of countless contract patterns, and the place where Eustina's soul was imprisoned.

Lin Yi clenched his five fingers.

He grasped something substantial.

It felt like the hardest crystal, yet it trembled constantly at my fingertips, as if life was struggling within it.

Then, he squeezed hard.

click-

The flame went out.

Like a candle that has been extinguished, the flame lost all its light in an instant.

Justina's massive body jolted violently.

The energy channels in her chest began to disintegrate, and the complex patterns broke and dissipated one after another.

The metal shell lost its support and began to collapse from the inside.

The massive stone chair groaned under its weight, bearing the body that was dying.

Yustina lowered her head, turning her mask toward Lin Yi, who was standing in her palm.

The eerie blue light emanating from the two hollow holes in the mask was rapidly dimming, but before it finally went out, Lin Yi saw a look of relief appear there.

Justina's lips twitched slightly.

An ugly, distorted, yet incredibly real smile appeared on this inhuman face.

No sound.

But Lin Yi understood the lip movements.

Thank you.

Then, the light went out completely.

The ten-meter-tall metal giant stopped all movement, as if it had truly become a sculpture.

Immediately afterwards, the body began to disintegrate from the inside, turning into countless tiny metal powders that slowly collapsed like a sand tower.

Lin Yi leaped back to the ground before the collapse.

He landed without making a sound; the hem of his black robe brushed lightly across the ground, stirring up barely perceptible dust.

A muffled rumble came from behind. Yustina's body collapsed completely, piling up into a small mountain on the stone chair. The metal and stone fragments, having lost their energy source, began to weather at an alarming rate, turning into ordinary dust in just a few seconds.

Meanwhile, changes began to occur within the cave.

The still nun dolls, the contracted creations that remained standing even after being pierced by the shadow blade, began to glow one after another.

It wasn't the blinding light of an attack, but a soft, milky-white halo.

A halo of light emanated from the doll's chest and gradually spread throughout its body. Then, the doll's form began to become transparent, like melting ice and snow, turning into countless points of light from the edges.

The points of light were tiny, each only the size of a grain of rice, radiating a pure white glow. They drifted out from the dissipated body of the doll, slowly rising and converging at the top of the cave to form a galaxy of light.

One, ten, a hundred...

Within half a minute, all the nun dolls in the cave disappeared, replaced by thousands of points of light floating in the air.

They moved slowly, intertwining with each other, illuminating the entire underground space like a field under a starry sky.

"This is..." Hina's voice came from behind. She led the group closer, but stopped ten meters behind Lin Yi, not daring to step forward rashly.

"A natural phenomenon after the contract is broken." Lin Yi didn't turn around, his gaze following the rising points of light. "The essence of these puppets is the remnants of divine souls bound by the contract. Now that the binding is gone, the remnants are returning to the origin of the world."

As soon as he finished speaking, the points of light began to converge towards the top of the cave.

They pierced through the rock layers—not physically, but like ghosts, blending into the rock and disappearing. A few seconds later, the last glimmer of light vanished from sight, and the cave was plunged back into darkness, with only the beams of light from the students' lighting equipment remaining.

Just then, a notification sound rang in Lin Yi's ear.

[Notification: You have destroyed the 'Saint's Armor Contract Core'.]

[Notification: You have defeated 'Yostina'.]

You have gained 14.3% of the World Source.

You have obtained the 'Seed of Rebirth'.

Seed of Reincarnation

Origin: The Church of Jesus Eustina
Quality: Holy Spirit Level
Type: Special Device/World Authority Core
Effect 1: World Authority: The holder gains supreme administrative authority over the Givotos 'Halo Rebirth System'. They can view, adjust, and intervene in the aura status and rebirth process of all students.

Effect 2: Soul Harmony: Allows for basic harmonization operations on soul fragments, including fragment repair, fragment fusion, and fragment reshaping.

Effect 3: Rule Access: The device can be connected to the underlying rules of a specific world to build or modify the life cycle system of that world.

Effect 4: ? ? ? (Requires specific conditions to unlock)

Rating: 1000+
Synopsis: This is a miracle created by Eustina and her people. Originally intended to repair shattered souls, it has become a prison and a tool for experimentation. Now, it has fallen into your hands.

Price: Not tradable.

Lin Yi looked down at his hand.

It was a crystal about the size of a fist.

The crystal is a perfect icosahedron, completely transparent, with countless tiny points of light slowly flowing inside.

The trajectories of those light spots were extremely complex, seemingly following some profound law, yet carrying a sense of disorder unique to life.

Most remarkably, when Lin Yi gazed at the crystal, he could feel himself establishing a connection with a vast system.

He closed his eyes and let his consciousness sink into the crystal.

Instantly, a massive amount of information flooded my mind.

That was a network that covered the entire Kiwatos region.

Tens of thousands of points of light twinkle in this network, each representing a student.

The brightness, color, and pulsation frequency of the light spots are different, reflecting the state of each fragment.

Some of the bright and stable spots of light are fragments of healthy growth.

Some of the points of light flickered dimly; those were fragments on the verge of collapse.

Some of the light spots have been completely extinguished, or rather, have been swallowed up by color.

Lin Yin could sense that he now had the highest authority over these points of light.

He could access the detailed information of any student, adjust the energy output of their auras, and even... forcibly interrupt or initiate the reincarnation process. In short, the entire Giwatos, this sanctuary created by the gods, was now under his control.

As he was processing this information, a bold idea suddenly popped into his head.

The students of Givotos are essentially fragments of the soul.

Their true form is the halo; their bodies are merely the "vessels" used in the current cycle of reincarnation.

The carrier can be replaced and reshaped; as long as the halo remains, the student will not truly die.

And the Shadow Legion...

Lin Yi thought of those soldiers who were born in the shadows.

They possess near-immortal bodies, which have been transformed into a unique form of existence under the erosion of shadow power.

However, the cost was that the vast majority of the Shadow Soldiers lost their self-awareness and were left only with the instinct to fight.

Apart from a few guards who still retain some semblance of sanity, the rest are essentially robots with flesh and blood.

So, if—

What if the power of the Seed of Reincarnation were combined with the Shadow Legion?
Using the soul-harmonizing ability of the Seed of Reincarnation, the students' soul fragments were fused with the undead bodies of the shadow soldiers.

Once the idea appeared, it quickly took root and sprouted in Lin Yi's mind.

If successful, he will have an army like never before.

The soldiers possess the Shadow Legion's immortality, as well as the complete consciousness and growth potential of gods.

Moreover, due to the nature of soul fragments, they may even retain some divine characteristics and awaken even greater power as they grow.

An army of gods.

More agile than the Shadow Legion, stronger than an ordinary student, and completely loyal to him.

Lin Yi opened his eyes and refocused his gaze on the Seed of Rebirth in his hand.

The light spots inside the crystal continued to flow slowly, as if waiting for new instructions.

"teacher?"

Hoshino's voice came from behind, tinged with a hint of doubt.

Lin Yi put away the seed of reincarnation and turned around.

“It’s alright,” he said, his voice regaining its usual calm. “Let’s keep going. Beatrice is still waiting for us.”

The team was reorganized.

Lin Yi walked at the front, with Hina and Tsurugi on his left and right respectively, Hoshino leading the Abydos five-man group in the middle, and the elites of the Justice Realization Department and the Disciplinary Committee bringing up the rear.

They left the cave where Justina was and re-entered the streets of the underground town.

The sight before them made everyone stop in their tracks.

fire.

Fire was everywhere.

It wasn't a sporadic fire caused by the battle just now, but a real, all-consuming raging inferno.

The entire underground town is on fire.

The building was engulfed in flames, the wooden structure cracked in the high temperature, and the metal frame twisted and deformed in the heat wave.

Thick smoke rose from all directions, gathering under the ceiling to form a rolling black cloud, which was then swirled in a certain direction by some kind of airflow.

The firelight illuminated the entire underground space, turning the rock walls a blood red.

The temperature was rising rapidly. Even hundreds of meters away from the fire, the heat wave was already hitting us, carrying the acrid smell of burning wood, the pungent smell of melting plastic, and... the stench of burning protein.

“This fire…” Ayane operated the terminal, data scrolling rapidly on the screen, “The combustion mode is abnormal. The flame temperature exceeds 1200 degrees Celsius, and the spread rate is not in accordance with natural laws. Some force is catalyzing it.”

"Look over there." Bai Zi pointed towards the town center.

In the heart of town, a building stands amidst flames.

It was a church. Unlike the cave church where Justina was, this church was a typical above-ground building, with soaring spires and stained-glass windows.

Although half of the spire has collapsed and all the stained glass windows are broken, the main structure of the building remains intact.

Moreover, it was the only building in this sea of ​​fire that was not engulfed by the flames.

The flames burned around the church, but seemed to be blocked by an invisible barrier, never able to reach the walls.

“That’s the core church of Arios.” Kirito Nagisa’s voice came through the communication channel. She stayed in the rear command center but monitored the front line through images transmitted by reconnaissance drones. “According to historical records, that was the first building when the Arios branch was established, and it was also Beatrice’s headquarters.”

"Is she setting fire to her own house?" Celery couldn't help but say.

“No.” Ayane stared at the terminal screen, her brow furrowed. “She’s… offering a sacrifice. A large number of life signals were detected in the flames, though they are rapidly fading. She’s using the lives of the entire town as fuel to perform some kind of ritual.”

Lin Yi's gaze passed over the sea of ​​fire and locked onto the church.

Perception extends outwards, penetrating the flames and thick smoke, reaching the interior of the church.

There is a person there.

Beatrice.

She is waiting.

Lin Yin could sense that the guy inside the church had already noticed their arrival.

But she took no action, did not set up an ambush, and did not activate any defenses.

She simply waited there, like a spider waiting for its prey to walk into its net.

“She’s waiting for us to go in,” Lin Yi said.

"A trap?" Hina asked.

"Yes and no." Lin Yi withdrew his senses. "She is confident enough that she can handle everything even if we enter her domain. So it's not a trap, it's... an invitation."

"Should we still go in?" Hoshino grinned, carrying a shotgun. "That sounds like we're asking for trouble."

"Of course we'll go in." Lin Yi stepped forward. "Otherwise, what's the point of us coming all this way?"

He did not choose to take a detour, nor did he attempt to extinguish the fire.

He simply walked toward the church.

The wall of flames cracked open in front of Lin Yi, creating a passage. The temperature inside the passage was normal, and even the smoke had thinned out.

This is part of the invitation.

Lin Yi stepped into the sea of ​​fire.

Behind them, the group hesitated briefly before quickly following.

Hina spreads her wings, and a pale purple energy barrier keeps the heatwave at bay.

The crimson halo above He Cheng's head spun faster, instantly vaporizing any approaching flames.

The others followed closely behind the two, using the safe path they had created.

The passageway leads straight to the church.

As they ventured deeper, the surrounding scenery became even more bizarre.

Finally, they arrived at the church.

The flames stopped at the church steps, forming a clear dividing line.

Outside the line lies a burning hell, inside the line lies an eerie calm.

The church doors were open.

The heavy oak door panel was tilted inward, and the hinges were broken, clearly indicating that it had been violently damaged.

The interior was completely dark, a stark contrast to the bright firelight outside.

Lin Yi walked up the steps.

As his foot landed on the first stone step, the interior of the church suddenly lit up.

Light emanated from the depths of the church, illuminating the area at the entrance and the person standing there.

She stood at the boundary between light and darkness.

Her fiery red skin seemed to be burning under the dark red light, and the compound eye structure on her head reflected multiple images, making it impossible to determine where she was looking.

She wore a well-tailored, deep red gown with a classic design and intricate gold embroidery along the edges, the hem of which trailed on the ground.

Beatrice.

She was taller than Lin Yi had imagined, nearly two meters tall.

It has a slender figure, but its body proportions are slightly abnormal, with excessively long arms and an extra joint in its fingers compared to humans.

Now Lin Yi understood why Gorkunda called her "Dragon Fruit".

This nickname is absolutely too fitting.

Beatrice's gaze swept over Lin Yi, and then over the group behind him.

Her eyes reflected the image of everyone.

Then she smiled.

"finally come."

"A lackey of the Holy Trinity, a hound of Gohena, and... an interesting outsider."

She turned to the side and gestured an invitation towards the interior of the church.

"Since you're already at the door, why don't you come in and have a seat? I've prepared... a good show."

Lin Yi did not respond.

His gaze passed over Beatrice and looked into the depths of the church.

In that dark red light, he saw more.

All the benches were pushed to the sides, leaving a circular area in the center.

A massive magic circle was carved into the ground, its intricate patterns dazzling the eye, and dark red liquid flowed within it; clearly, this was a sacrificial magic circle. (End of Chapter)