"Who are you?" The girl before Chu Lian looked no older than ten. She stood around one meter twenty tall, wearing a luxurious black dress adorned with a crimson ribbon at her chest. Her silver hair shimmered like moonlight in the night sky, and her golden eyes—marked with mysterious patterns—glowed with both nobility and enigma. She looked less like a child and more like an imperial princess beloved by her entire realm.
Yet it wasn't her beauty that left Chu Lian speechless. What truly stunned her was the weapon in the girl's hand—a two-meter-long scythe, crimson from blade to handle. Its shaft was engraved with elegant floral patterns, and along its curved edge glimmered a deadly, soul-piercing gleam.
[Tírnas' Scythe: This weapon originates from the planet Tyrael, once wielded by the Reaper God Tírnas. It was his exclusive weapon, a divine-slaying artifact forged after he annihilated all other deities. When his slaughter was complete, Tírnas became the supreme god and sole ruler of Tyrael. That planet now lies under an eternal shroud of death—the planetary will destroyed, and nearly all life extinguished. What remains are the living dead: a paradise for corpses, a forbidden land for the living. Every form of unnecessary life has been purged. The inhabitants—undead mercenaries summoned across dimensions—are among the most sought-after soldiers for interplanar contracts, their price measured in countless lives.]
"So, you recognize the origin of this scythe." The girl smiled with interest but didn't explain why she held such a weapon. Instead, she stepped forward gracefully, her petite figure tilting her head up to meet Chu Lian's gaze. "You're quite strong, you know. To think you managed to kill Silu once... If I hadn't been nearby, it would've been in real trouble."
Chu Lian forced herself to recover from the shock of seeing the divine weapon. Her eyes sharpened. "So you're the one who stopped my attacks before?"
"Those little tricks weren't worth my attention. I was still disoriented when I woke from the seal just now, instinctively lashing out at anyone who got close to me." The girl spun the scythe twice, then lowered it at her side. With elegant poise, she lifted the edge of her skirt and curtsied gracefully. "Allow me to introduce myself properly—my name is Anna Shiva Relus Tírnas."
"Tírnas... as in the same name as the Reaper?" Chu Lian frowned. The girl carried no killing intent, no oppressive aura, but to assume she was harmless would've been beyond foolish.
After all, the child had appeared beside her without triggering any alarm—and she held Tírnas' Scythe. If she truly wished to kill Chu Lian, it wouldn't be difficult.
Even more terrifying, every conscious probe Chu Lian sent toward her was swallowed as though by a black hole—erased completely. Not a single trace of information remained. Even her system could only detect the name Tírnas' Scythe from existing records; any deeper attempt at analysis yielded nothing.
"Please stop probing into my information. It's quite rude," the girl said, her golden eyes flickering with faint irritation. "I assume you wouldn't want that little lady in your head getting hurt, would you?"
It was the first time anyone had ever detected Ayase's presence. Even Eve—the planetary consciousness itself—had been unaware of her existence. For this mysterious girl to perceive Ayase meant she might also know about the system... a thought that sent chills down Chu Lian's spine.
"Apologies. We meant no harm. It was simply reflexive curiosity," Chu Lian said quickly, withdrawing all her probes. She maintained only a faint protective field around herself—enough to defend against sudden attacks if necessary.
"Good. Then we can talk properly." The girl extended her hand toward the air. With a faint shimmer, a grand black-and-red throne materialized behind her, floating gracefully in the void. She dismissed the scythe into nothingness and sat down elegantly, resting her chin on her palm as her golden eyes studied Chu Lian. A delicate smile played on her lips.
This time, the girl's smile carried a hint of provocation, but Chu Lian didn't mind. With a casual wave of her hand, a white chair materialized from her storage space. She dismissed the Void Greatsword, letting it return to Inori's body, then calmly took a seat.
"It seems you're not afraid of me?" The girl tilted her head slightly, pointing at herself with mild curiosity.
"Afraid? Of course I am. Who wouldn't fear standing before the god who destroyed a world?" Chu Lian smiled wryly. By now, she had a good idea who this girl truly was.
"Oh? So you've already guessed? But you're mistaken," the girl replied with a soft, almost playful smile. "I'm merely a fragment of his soul, attached to Anna's body. My true self is still on Tyrael, battling an invading enemy. I don't know how long it'll take before I can withdraw from that fight. So, you needn't be too frightened."
Her words confirmed Chu Lian's suspicion.
"Then... may I ask why you came here?" Chu Lian asked, genuine curiosity flickering in her eyes. For a being stronger than a world's creator god to appear here—it was hard to imagine.
"It's simple. I just wanted to give Anna a peaceful environment to grow up in." Tírnas gestured lightly toward her chest. "As I said, Anna's condition is special. To protect her, I sealed her within a red crystal and left Silu and one of my servants to guard her in a safe place."
Her tone grew faintly regretful. "Unfortunately, that servant was killed during an outbreak caused by a foreign virus and became a zombie. Silu was then ambushed during its revival. The creature used a forbidden technique to bind itself with Silu and implanted the crystal containing Anna into its chest. It believed that by doing so, it could harness divine power and become strong."
She gave a small, amused sigh. "But that fool never understood—divine power isn't something others can simply use. Even after consuming the crystal, all it could do was keep it lodged within its heart, borrowing the power I granted Silu to suppress Anna's awakening. That's the only reason it survived this long."
"In fact," she continued with a small smile, "I should thank you for killing that idiot. If not for you, Anna's seal would never have broken—and I couldn't have manifested here."
Chu Lian didn't know what to say. To think that she had been the one to release such an entity, even if by accident... If this being harbored any ill will, North America could soon become a new paradise of the dead.
As if reading her mind, Tírnas chuckled softly. "Relax. I bear no malice toward this world. In fact, I find it quite fascinating. Far more entertaining than Tyrael, really. If I could stay longer, I'd love to uncover every secret this planet holds."
She covered her mouth with a refined laugh—her gesture and tone were elegant, almost aristocratic. She was nothing like the ruthless god-slayer described in the system's archives. She seemed more like a graceful noblewoman with a long and tragic past.
Noticing Chu Lian's silent confusion, Tírnas let her smile fade. "Across countless worlds, who can truly say what the truth is? In your records, I might appear as a merciless demon—a man who dared to kill the Supreme God. But in others, I'm seen as a benevolent woman who rebuilt the world and gave the dead a place to rest. Who can say which is true?"
"You're right," Chu Lian admitted quietly. Ayase had long warned her that the system's data wasn't absolute—the higher the level of existence, the less reliable the records became. Accepting that, she asked directly, "Lady Tírnas, why did you attach your consciousness to Anna?"
"To protect her—and to see if I could find someone suitable to care for her in my stead." Tírnas regarded Chu Lian thoughtfully, her golden eyes soft but sharp. After a long moment, she smiled faintly. "And I think you're quite fitting. So young, yet so strong. I've never met anyone quite like you—not in all my existence."
"You know about my origin? Could you... tell me?" Chu Lian asked carefully. She ignored the first part of Tírnas's statement—because she knew that when beings of such power made decisions, their will was absolute. Resistance was meaningless. What mattered to her now was the second half of the sentence—the truth about herself.
"That cannot be said. You'll understand in time." Tírnas waved her hand gently, halting Chu Lian's next question. "Some knowledge brings no benefit when learned too soon. You must see it yourself—through your own choices and experiences. When the time comes and you grasp the truth of everything, you'll understand what I mean."
"Alright then." Since the other party clearly didn't wish to elaborate, Chu Lian didn't press the issue.
"However, if you agree to one thing—and truly accomplish it—I'll tell you a secret in the future," Tírnas said with a glint of amusement in her golden eyes. Even the most intelligent of girls still betrayed a trace of childishness when it came to matters close to their hearts.
"Please, go ahead," Chu Lian replied calmly. She knew this was likely Tírnas's true purpose for personally descending into Anna's body to find her.
"Anna is my daughter," Tírnas began, her voice soft but filled with quiet strength. "But right now, I can't spare the time to take care of her. Tyrael is undergoing an unprecedented crisis—a war that has raged for decades. By my estimation, it will continue for at least another ten years. Yet even then, I cannot guarantee victory. That's why I want Anna to grow up safely in this world."
Chu Lian froze for a moment. For someone of Tírnas's level—a being who had slain gods—to admit uncertainty about the outcome of a war… what kind of opponent could possibly threaten her?
"There's no need to worry about me," Tírnas said, her expression softening into a confident smile. "Even if Tyrael were destroyed, my enemies couldn't truly kill me. This is merely a precaution."
Chu Lian thought about it for a moment. Compared to her own limited experience, this being had lived through millennia—her wisdom and power far beyond comprehension. If she said there was nothing to worry about, then speculating further would be meaningless. So Chu Lian simply nodded.
"Take care of Anna for me," Tírnas continued. "All the knowledge she needs for her growth is already imprinted into her soul. Over time, she'll awaken and comprehend it on her own. You won't need to teach her anything related to power or cultivation. However, emotionally, she's still like a five-year-old girl in your world. That part will be your responsibility."
Her request aligned perfectly with what Chu Lian had already suspected. There was no way to refuse—not when facing someone of such terrifying origin. Who could say whether the smiling girl before her might turn into an apocalyptic deity in the very next moment?
"You're thinking some rather unpleasant thoughts, you know. That's very rude to a lady," Tírnas said with an amused glance. Seeing Chu Lian's expression freeze, she giggled softly behind her hand.
"Don't worry. You'll be well compensated—enough to keep you motivated," she added lightly. As a world's overseer, Tírnas understood that loyalty couldn't be enforced through fear alone. True cooperation came from balance—between reward and awe.
And she genuinely liked Chu Lian, which meant her rewards would not be trivial.
"Now then... these three items—are they to your liking?" Tírnas waved her hand. Three rifts split open in the air behind her, and from each emerged a distinct object. When they fully revealed themselves, Chu Lian's eyes widened in astonishment.