"This is the puppy that Eumir has been fond of recently," the queen said calmly, looking at Shao Ci.

The attendant beside her nodded respectfully, "His Highness cares a lot about this puppy."

This attendant is one of Eumir's attendants, usually very low-key, but unexpectedly did such a thing at a critical moment.

Shao Ci nervously watched, he can only be in the form of a furball now, unable to say anything.

Speaking of which, the queen's power level is actually not higher than Eumir's... Otherwise, Shao Ci would still want to try what it feels like to cling to the queen's thigh →_→

"It's all thanks to you," the queen spoke, "Now that the ceremony is finally completed, this puppy is no longer useful."

The ceremony is simple, but the purer the bloodline, the harder it is to awaken, requiring a little stimulation.

That's why the queen allowed what Aldrich did before. Of course, she also knew that the chances of success were very low, but if it failed, there was still Aldrich to rely on, so it wasn't unbearable.

But if it succeeded, it could make that plan a success.

And the reason why the queen allowed Eumir to perform the ceremony with Shao Ci by his side was because she thought that with someone he cared about, Eumir should be able to persevere.

Now everything is almost done, Eumir will be the perfect heir to the throne.

And useless people like Shao Ci shouldn't stay by Eumir's side in the first place.

But the queen learned about Eumir's recent plan, and of course she couldn't let her excellent son be tied to a waste forever. So while Eumir has not fully grown up, she decided to eliminate this weakness.

Therefore, the queen said, "You take this puppy and throw him into the human territory."

Originally, it would be better to just kill him, but after all, the other party is just a puppy, and the queen is not yet so ruthless.

Although it is troublesome to leave the Celestials outside, weak Celestials like Shao Ci have almost no divine power left, so they won't have any impact on the Celestials.

"With the light elemental energy on the human territory, this puppy will probably never be able to transform into human form in his lifetime. Whatever happens then, it has nothing to do with our Celestials," the queen said, "As for Eumir, let's just say he's already dead."

The chances of a Celestial puppy dying prematurely are already quite high, especially when the puppy itself has low talent and has been corrupted by dark elements. It wouldn't be strange if it suddenly died.

Even if Eumir feels sad, he will probably forget about it after some time. After all, he is just a child.

The queen never said a word to Shao Ci from beginning to end. She made the decision unilaterally, and Shao Ci obviously couldn't resist.

Shao Ci instantly understood the queen's thoughts. He used to think that the original host was driven away for some scarier reason, but it turned out to be just because of this.

Thinking about it, this kind of melodramatic plot is actually quite normal. After all, Eumir is the only heir of the Celestials, and the queen probably doesn't want him to turn out gay (.

Shao Ci doesn't have any complaints, but it seems like he hasn't accumulated enough points. How can he go back to the previous timeline?

Shao Ci really doesn't want to go through everything he experienced before all over again.

【 After completing the missions during this period of time, most of the energy has been collected. The teleportation can start soon.】

That's great... Shao Ci breathed a sigh of relief.

He just doesn't know what will happen to Eumir after he leaves. But thinking back to the time he spent with the humans before, he didn't hear anything about the Celestials looking for him, so this matter should have passed.

After all, even if Eumir is powerful, he is still just a teenager. Naturally, he can't compare to the Queen who has lived for hundreds of years.

Afterwards, Shao Ci and the queen's subordinates respectfully bid farewell and left the palace while carrying Shao Ci.

The place where the Celestials reside is extremely remote, and in order to conceal the exact location, they use teleportation to leave.

Shao Ci fell into a deep sleep on the way.

The subsequent development is probably that this Celestial puppy will be captured by humans and sold as a cute pet in a pet store.

【 Teleportation initiated. Countdown 10, 9, 8... 4, 3, 2, 1... Teleportation initiated.】
　　
On the other side, Eumir, who obtained the final ingredient, suddenly felt a tightness in his heart.

In a pitch-black space.

There is almost no light here, only countless strange-shaped creatures, their bodies completely black like shadows.

However, there are scattered points of light in this space, resembling fireflies with a faint glow.

A young boy with black hair and blue eyes walks slowly within it, closely followed by the creatures. They seize any opportunity to devour parts of his body.

Soon, the black-haired boy's legs are mostly consumed, and he falls to the ground, lacking strength. Waves of excruciating pain from his corroding bones reach him, but he remains expressionless, lowering his head as if devoid of sensation.

He doesn't know why he is here or what his goal is supposed to be.

He doesn't even have the thought of surviving.

If this continues, his body will soon be devoured entirely by the surrounding creatures, leaving nothing but bones.

But in the next moment, a fluffy furball suddenly appears before his eyes. The furball is entirely silver-white, standing out prominently in this pitch-black space.

The black-haired boy is startled, feeling a strong sense of familiarity with the furball, yet he has no recollection of it.

... Just a feeling, as if he has forgotten something very important.

Instinctively, the black-haired boy reaches out his hand, only to realize that most of his hand has already been consumed. Not only that, even his consciousness is slowly dissipating.

The black-haired boy had no intention of surviving before, but upon seeing the furball, a sense of unwillingness surges within his heart.

In a pitch-black space.

There is almost no light here, only countless creatures with eerie shapes, their bodies completely black like shadows.

Within this space, there are scattered points of light, resembling faintly glowing fireflies.

A young boy with black hair and blue eyes walks slowly within, closely followed by the shadow-like creatures. They seize any opportunity to devour parts of his body.

Soon, the black-haired boy's legs are mostly consumed, and he falls to the ground, lacking strength. Waves of excruciating pain from his corroding bones reach him, but he remains expressionless, lowering his head as if devoid of sensation.

He doesn't know why he is here or what his goal is supposed to be.

He doesn't even have the thought of surviving.

If this continues, his body will soon be devoured entirely by the surrounding creatures, leaving nothing but bones.

But in the next moment, a fluffy furball suddenly appears before his eyes. The furball is entirely silver-white, standing out prominently in this pitch-black space.

The black-haired boy is startled, feeling a strong sense of familiarity with the furball, yet he has no recollection of it.

... Just a feeling, as if he has forgotten something very important.

Instinctively, the black-haired boy reaches out his hand, only to realize that most of his hand has already been consumed. Not only that, even his consciousness is slowly dissipating.

The black-haired boy had no intention of surviving before, but upon seeing the furball, a sense of unwillingness surges within his heart.

He cannot die like this.

He hasn't... hasn't what?

The black-haired boy can't remember, but he knows he must stay alive.

From somewhere, a surge of power wells up within him. The black-haired boy suddenly grabs one of the shadow-like creatures in front of him and instinctively bites down on its body using a method that emerges from his subconscious.

His mouth fills with the taste of sweet and bloody essence, but the black-haired boy feels as if he has tasted something delicious. He bites down firmly, tearing off a piece of flesh and swallowing it.

Continuing to tear and bite, he suddenly bites into something hard.

It is a gem-like demonic core. The black-haired boy swallows it directly, feeling an instant surge of strength in his previously weakened body. Even the areas that were consumed by the creatures regenerate with flesh and blood.

Realizing that the power of this demonic core is the most abundant, the black-haired boy stops gnawing at the flesh and instead extracts the demonic cores.

Shao Ci is in a terrible state.

When he was being transported, Shao Ci was wondering if the system would properly revive him. It would be great if he could be resurrected in his previous body.

Even though the situation at that time wasn't great, at least he was familiar with his surroundings.

But when he opened his eyes, he found himself here.

In this extremely pitch-black space, everything other than the terrifying-looking creatures is still creatures. And the only one who is not a creature, the black-haired boy, isn't he Bryce!

Or rather, a younger version of Bryce. That was from many years ago. Did he really return to the correct timeline?

【Beep beep beep... Detecting a character with higher power level... According to the system's rules, changing the target of conquest... Target changed, current conquest target is Bryce.]

"Wait, does Bryce have a higher power level than Eumir?"

【After changing the timeline, the conquest target is reset.】

So that's how it is...

Shao Ci suddenly remembered the original plot.

In the original story, Bryce was severely injured and on the verge of death while being pursued by the Radiant Church. He somehow entered his own consciousness realm.

No, to be precise, he existed in a separate space relying on the power of the Dark God.

After all, the power of a god is too overwhelming. Even if the Dark God split into several individuals to be reincarnated, those powers are not something a human body can bear. Therefore, he constructed this space with his remaining power.

This is also known by many people. In the mouths of the members of the Radiant Church, that space is filled with countless treasures and artifacts. If they can enter that space, the Radiant Church can turn the tables.

But there are no treasures or artifacts as others imagine inside. There are only endless creatures of darkness.

Similar to the Celestials, these creatures are incarnations of the power of the Dark God.

When Bryce entered this space, he had to devour all these creatures in order to leave.

Naturally, after devouring so many creatures, he would obtain a large portion of the power of the Dark God.

It sounds easy, but just imagine the arduous and terrifying process of fighting against so many creatures. It's not something that can be described in a few sentences in the original text. After all, it's an x-point novel. How could it extensively depict such a tragic plot? A few sentences to make the protagonist suffer a bit is enough for the readers' enjoyment.

However... as the protagonist, Bryce truly experiences this painful process.

Shao Ci didn't expect to be directly sent to this place. He thought that by this time, Bryce should have already obtained his power.

As for why Bryce is in a youthful state, Shao Ci didn't think much about it. After all, it's the realm of consciousness. Why bother about appearances?

"This is the realm of consciousness. It allows the host to rest for a period of time and adapt to the situation before returning to their own body," the system says.

Shao Ci: "!" But can he really rest in this place?!

Won't Bryce just tear him apart?

Previously, in order to increase Bryce's resentment towards him, Shao Ci had to grit his teeth and pretend to betray Bryce...

Now, thinking back, Shao Ci feels a sense of sadness. He worked so hard to increase their favorability.

Looking at Bryce over there, still tearing into the creatures, Shao Ci doesn't dare to approach.

But the nearby creatures quickly became aware of Shao Ci, the outsider, and they approached him, their pairs of azure eyes fixed on him. Then, as if going mad, they rushed forward, competing to get closer, as if they wanted to devour Shao Ci directly.

"What the hell!" Shao Ci was frightened by this scene.

After all, he was in someone else's realm of consciousness, and Shao Ci had no advantage. Seeing so many creatures that seemed to have come out of a horror movie, he immediately panicked and rushed to Bryce's side.

Even if Bryce is terrifying, he couldn't possibly be scarier than these creatures.

But those creatures continued to approach, completely ignoring Bryce. They had no self-awareness, only being manifestations of power. They only continuously devoured the living beings around them, so naturally, they were not afraid of Bryce.

As the shadow-like bodies were about to touch Shao Ci, his breathing almost stopped, feeling a wave of coldness approaching him.

Just as those creatures were about to touch Shao Ci, a pale hand lifted him up.

Shao Ci didn't even have time to breathe a sigh of relief before he was face to face with Bryce.

Bryce's beautiful face was stained with blood, making his pale skin appear even paler, with a hint of sickness. His gem-like blue eyes looked somewhat dazed at Shao Ci.

Shao Ci was a little scared by his direct gaze and didn't know what Bryce was planning to do.

He thought that when he saw Bryce again, Bryce would probably want to stab him to death.

But Bryce's condition was obviously not right. Perhaps he had encountered some problems after spending too long in this realm of consciousness, like amnesia...

Bryce looked at the furball in front of him and felt something pounding in his chest. A strong desire surged from his heart.

-- This is his.

Yes, this is something he would never give to anyone else. His most precious treasure.

Bryce held Shao Ci tightly and stood up somewhat unsteadily.

The other creatures naturally wouldn't give up. They crazily crowded over, their formless bodies reaching out even more frantically.

From a distance, it looked like countless shadows trying to devour the young boy standing among them.

Facing the numerous creatures, Bryce furrowed his brows slightly. He could sense that these creatures around him wanted to snatch the furball in his arms.

There was no way he would lose to these monsters.

Even if a part of his body was devoured by the creatures, Bryce didn't care at all. Instead, he used one hand to hold Shao Ci and the other hand forcefully extracted the demonic cores from the chests of the creatures.

Yes, that's right. As long as the lost parts are replenished with power, it's enough. The pain is insignificant.

Shao Ci curled up in Bryce's embrace, afraid to make any movements, fearing that Bryce might accidentally drop him to the ground. There would be no way out for him then.

However, even in this situation, Shao Ci noticed that this Bryce, besides his amnesia, seemed to have other subtle changes.

For example, the current Bryce didn't use magic at all. His way of killing the creatures was to directly extract the demonic cores from their bodies using his hands... It was incredibly bloody, and every time Shao Ci saw it, he felt a sense of shock.

Shao Ci thought for a moment. When Bryce first arrived, he used to bite directly. Now, he has improved quite a bit.

After all, this is the realm of consciousness, and they have to devour other creatures. Add to that the amnesia, it's normal for the methods to be a bit bloodier.

He just hopes that Bryce won't tear him apart in the heat of the moment.

When most of the surrounding creatures had been killed, the ground was already covered in blood.

Bryce stood in the pool of blood, his already tattered white shirt now soaked in fresh blood. He lifted Shao Ci up and rubbed his face against him.

After rubbing, as if he had done something very embarrassing, a blush appeared on Bryce's beautiful face.

Shao Ci: "..." Wow, this Bryce is actually quite cute!

Even after doing so many gruesome things, he's still adorable. It makes Shao Ci recall the first time they met.

At that time, Bryce couldn't even eat enough and was a pitiful little thing who could only nibble on black bread.

The calm lasted for a moment, but soon the creatures around them surged forward again.

Bryce didn't pay any attention and continued moving forward, killing all the creatures that approached him.

However, the subsequent creatures became stronger and stronger. They even transformed from their previously formless state into a slightly humanoid appearance, with their power multiplied several times over and sharp claws.

In the battle against these creatures, Bryce quickly got injured.

Moreover, those creatures specifically targeted Bryce's arm that was holding Shao Ci. In order to prevent Shao Ci from being caught, Bryce had to twist his body and use his back to withstand several attacks.

Exhausted, Bryce knelt on the ground while still tightly holding onto Shao Ci. The creatures even started biting his body.

Bryce let out pained gasps, and Shao Ci could see blood splattering on the ground.

If this continues, Bryce will definitely die! This thought subconsciously flashed through Shao Ci's mind.

Even though he knew that Bryce, as the original male lead with a protagonist's aura, wouldn't easily die, at this moment, Shao Ci truly couldn't see how he could survive under the attacks of these creatures.

Being a protagonist is really not easy for Bryce, experiencing such painful methods to level up for the first time.

Shao Ci moved closer to Bryce's stiff body and activated his healing ability.

Although he didn't know if his ability would work in the realm of consciousness, this healing ability seemed quite powerful, and it was his most useful cheat. It should work, right?

Bryce felt his consciousness gradually fading away, but then a surge of power entered his body, rapidly healing his injuries.

In his mind, fragments and some methods of using magic seemed to emerge.

Without much time to think, Bryce released a spell.

Frost suddenly spread out from under his feet, freezing all the creatures around him who were caught off guard.

Bryce breathed a sigh of relief, but this one spell had already consumed a great deal of his energy. Shortly after, he fell unconscious.

Shao Ci huddled beside Bryce. Fortunately, the surroundings were covered in ice, so the other creatures wouldn't approach for the time being. Otherwise, they would have killed those creatures while Bryce was unconscious.

Now, Shao Ci's concern shifted to another matter...

Before, Shao Ci had transferred some healing abilities to Bryce, and then Bryce was able to use magic... Did he overdo the healing? What if Bryce remembers not only how to use magic but also remembers what Shao Ci did?

Even if he tries to explain, he doesn't know how to explain it. Should he say that he intentionally did it like that to increase Bryce's enmity towards him?

Regardless of whether Bryce would believe such a ridiculous explanation, it wouldn't pass the system's scrutiny... Such a possibility that could lead to spoilers can't be mentioned. If he says it, the attention of the world consciousness would be drawn to it.

Anyway, once Bryce reaches the peak of his life, Shao Ci can just run away. He doesn't necessarily have to resolve this misunderstanding.

And besides, this is Bryce's realm of consciousness. Others can't intrude... Even if Bryce remembers, he can just pretend to be ignorant. Maybe Bryce would even think that he is a creation of this realm of consciousness.

Having figured out how to resolve the situation, Shao Ci breathed a sigh of relief and unknowingly fell asleep.

When Shao Ci woke up, he was already in Bryce's embrace.

And Bryce seemed no different from before, still seemingly without any memory recovery. When he looked at Shao Ci, he still had a somewhat dazed expression.

Shao Ci didn't pay much attention to it. His current goal was to help Bryce leave this place.

The two continued walking forward, and the surrounding creatures became stronger and stronger. The endless low-level creatures that were previously abundant were now rarely seen.

Although they were challenging to deal with, Bryce, being someone who could use magic, was inherently stronger than the other creatures. He could easily defeat them without even touching their bodies.

After consuming so many demonic cores, Bryce's power had also greatly increased.

He could even use his power to create things like clothes and food. After all, this was his own realm of consciousness, so Shao Ci found it normal for him to conjure these things.

As Shao Ci looked at the increasingly powerful creatures, he suddenly realized that in this spiritual world, these creatures might also become stronger by devouring each other... Their changes in form seemed to confirm this.

Then, after these creatures become strong enough, would they also develop consciousness and transform into humanoid beings?

Shao Ci remembered how Bryce looked when he first saw him, in a dazed state. Maybe he had also transformed from the low-level creatures devouring each other...

... So, after these creatures obtain humanoid forms, would they become another Bryce, or would they become entities with different consciousness?

Shao Ci suddenly felt like he had imagined something very frightening.

It couldn't be possible, right? In the original story, it was only briefly mentioned. Maybe he has watched too many horror movies and his imagination has run wild.