Miss Witch's Forbidden Book Secret

She picked up a small hammer and smashed the mirror, spilling moonlight all over the floor. She then used the shard of glass to scratch the back of her hand, which was coated in turmeric oil, causing blood to drip into the wolf's left eye. She then used the hammer to drive the sharpened dagger into the wolf's right eye.

"Six have been lost."

“All three still exist.”

When the hourglass was removed, the strangled dove suddenly flapped its wings, and the snake whose body was pierced hissed and climbed up the cane.

Tia sat down with her cane and drank the wine, her voice vaguely carrying a sense of openness coming from the valley.

"We call upon the oak in the earth and the deer-hunting god in the forest."

"We worship alchemy, and we are the gods of each other."

"We beseech the Ouroboros, and descend into the Nightmare God."

Tia read out three ways.

This is the part where the master of ceremonies asks for asylum. Ouroboros has the power to "descent into nightmares," so one must carry its name when diving deep.

Alchemy is the way for Tia to advance, so she has to recite the name of alchemy.

The last one, the Oak in the Earth, is the most gentle and harmless of the nine paths. It symbolizes growth, reproduction, mother, and nature. There is no harm in bringing it.

Silvery moonlight flickered on the hexagram array filled with blood, and a drowsiness that was much gentler than falling into the temple slowly came over me.

Closing her eyes, she felt a gentle force pressing down on her shoulders, pulling her slowly down to a deeper level.

——The ceremony was successful.

.............

.............

"Are you awake? You're the best among this group of people."

When Tia opened her eyes, she thought she had traveled through time again.

There seemed to be a pressure on her shoulders, very similar to the water pressure when diving deep, but much weaker than when she dived deep into the temple.

——It should be around 2600m?

She rubbed her eyes and realized that she was not surrounded by the deep sea, but a very dark space, as if she was floating in space. But in front of her was a long stone table with a candlestick burning with golden flames on it.

There is a stone table with a total of seven chairs, three on each side and one at the end.

It was the person sitting in the main seat who was talking to her just now—to be precise, not a human.

She was a dragon girl, about 1.5 meters tall, with silver hair and red eyes, two sharp horns on her head, no clothes on her body, only thick scales covering her sensitive parts, and her tail coiled around the chair.

Seeing Tia looking over, the dragon lady pointed her finger and shushed, "Wait a moment. The participants in this promotion ceremony haven't all arrived yet. I'll announce the rules to you after a while."

As soon as the voice fell, people came to the remaining five seats one after another. Their faces were blurred and it was impossible to recognize who they were.

Their identities can only be vaguely inferred from their clothing and posture.

The first to arrive were the three opposite Tia.

The first one is a middle-aged man, wearing a simple dark grey suit with his tie hanging down to the side. He looks overweight and has a large belly, and the suit doesn't slim him down at all, but instead makes his bulging belly more obvious.

The second one was a gentleman who looked at his pocket watch without saying a word after arriving. He was leaning on a silver-plated cane. The hat on the table was very distinctive, like a banquet hat with three peacock feathers pinned on it. After taking a quick look around, he closed his eyes.

The third one was a girl holding a wide-brimmed hat in her arms. She was wearing a blue and white uniform. Tia looked strangely familiar. After a closer look, she found:

It turned out to be from Ansu Police Station.

The police uniforms of the Anzu Kingdom were a standard blue and white color scheme, giving off a bright and beautiful vibe. Meanwhile, the officers of the Iris Kingdom, while dressed in tuxedos, looked respectable.

Soon, people came to the two seats next to Tia.

One was a young man wearing casual clothes but sitting very straight and meticulously.

One was a girl dressed in a black church robe, pretending to be calm.

When the last girl arrived, Tia's face moved slightly, and she was more or less surprised.

It was nothing else—she actually saw a thin milky white line on this girl's body!

It is the milky white thread that is holding the inverted temple!

And if she remembered correctly, the last time Vera pulled her out of the Hanging Temple, she seemed to be wearing a black church robe.

We are so destined to each other...

But it was a little strange that neither the dragon lady nor the people around her seemed to notice the white line.

Snapped! Bang bang!

The dragon lady sitting on the main seat patted the table and motioned everyone to look over.

"Alright! All the participants are here. Good evening everyone. I am the host of this ceremony, Lilith, the Silver Frost Dragon who follows the Ouroboros path."

"Given that this ceremony is a Sequence Nine promotion ceremony, it's inevitable that there will be newbies who have just embarked on the path of transcendence. I will follow tradition and explain to you—perhaps for the last time in your lifetime—the rules of the promotion ceremony."

As soon as the words fell, the voice of Dragon Lady Lilith seemed to be plugged into a sound card, and it suddenly came from all directions, echoing throughout the entire space.

Volume 1: Chapter 18: Into the Nightmare

First of all, don't panic. Each promotion ceremony must involve six to nine people at the same time. Seeing each other is normal.

[And, in this promotion ceremony, there are two transcendents with multiple paths. Please note that you can only use the abilities of the paths to be promoted during this ceremony, but rituals below the threshold of Sequence Nine can still be used.]

[Also, you will soon enter a nightmare to complete the Ascension Ceremony. These nightmares are projections of history, not actual history. In the nightmares, you will play roles in specific events and complete corresponding tasks to earn points. Your performance in these historical fragments—the final points—will also be recorded into the three roots of your prayers, thus affecting the extraordinary abilities you gain after your Ascension Sequence.]

If you die during the ceremony or your points do not reach 85% of the average points, you will be declared a failed promotion. There is no penalty for dying during the first ceremony, but please note that if you die a second time or perform the ceremony again within one month of your first death, you will be responsible for the consequences.

[Secondly, as hosts, we are solely responsible for helping you unlock the nightmare within the deep sea and explaining the ritual rules. We will not interfere with or observe your actions during the ritual. Therefore, any events, consequences, or problems that arise after you enter the nightmare are not the responsibility of the host, Lilith the Silver Frost Dragon.]

[Finally, we now have three minutes of free discussion. Please protect your privacy and be careful not to be deceived.]

Lilith threw all the rules of the ceremony into everyone's ears, completely unconcerned about whether they understood or not. Even when the girl in the wide-brimmed hat tried to raise her hand like in class, Lilith slumped in her chair, holding her tail, and remained motionless.

When everyone was completely silent, the middle-aged man in the dark gray wool coat coughed twice and said, "The Sequence Nine promotion ceremony is relatively simple and safe. I am a Sequence 8 Druid of Earth Oak. I suggest that everyone communicate and introduce themselves before entering the ceremony. Perhaps we can cooperate."

The middle-aged man had just finished speaking.

The girl holding the wide-brimmed hat raised her hand foolishly and said, "My name is Scarlett..."

Before he finished speaking, there was a barely perceptible laugh.

Lilith, who was sitting on the main seat, was chewing the tip of her tail and suddenly felt happy.

Trainee police officer Miss Scarlett just drove the suicide truck and opened her own box first.

Tia didn't expect that Miss Scarlett was so slow in this regard, and she started with a series of small combos.

And—so many familiar faces, Tia thought calmly.

"Etc., etc!"

The middle-aged man quickly said, "Don't give your real name. I mean we can come up with a code name. For example, I'm Heisen. My transcendental path is Earth Oak Sequence 8 Druid, and this time the path to advancement is the Holy Grail."

"I have no hostile relationship with you."

The gentleman in the top hat, who had been silent until then, suddenly asked, "What do you mean? I'm asking about the part about no hostility. Codename: Phoenix Flower."

Hessen said, "I'm different from you. I'm not here for a promotion. I opened a potion workshop in Silver Castle. It just opened a short time ago, in the town of Saint Nicks in Silver Castle... If you need anything, feel free to contact me. I'll give you a 20% discount on your first order."

Tia didn't expect that her first promotion ceremony would be so exciting.

She originally thought it would be a very dangerous ceremony, but after arriving, she found it was just like going home, with all the wise men and women, young and old, gathered together.

Scarlett reacted rather slowly, made the sign of the cross on her chest, and said, "I am... codename Night Iris."

The young man, sitting upright, nodded and said, "Imperial, King's Path Sequence Nine, Inquisitor, Alfred Alexi. I come here for promotion."

Another suicide monster.

Scarlett immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, she was not the only one who blew herself up.

But he was so unexpectedly confident that even the host Lilith took a second look.

"Ms. Scarlett, I'm Anne." Tia also raised her hand and gave a code name. Then she turned to look at the silent and mysterious Vera and said with a smile, "I wonder what this lady's name is?"

Everyone's voice at the scene had been processed and was very different from the original voice, but Vera still felt a chill, always feeling that "Annie's" voice was a little familiar.

But Aunt Isabella never told her anything about code names!

Done!

Vera slowly raised her head, various names going through her mind, and finally she said in a mysterious way: "My name is Tia."

Tia: “???”

You are Tia, then who am I?

............

Snapped!

clap clap!

The host, Lilith, raised her tail, clapped the stone table three times, looked at the six people, and voices came from all directions.

[Okay, time's up!]

Everyone's self-introductions should be complete. Next, roles will be randomly assigned based on your desired advancement paths. We don't rule out the possibility of assigning you roles together. Please note that after entering the nightmare, quests will flow from the source of your prayers and appear before your eyes.

[It's been a while since I've met such interesting participants. I'm having a great time today, so I can give you a piece of advice: if possible, try not to be hostile. Because in a nightmare, everyone who is awake is a natural companion.]

[So now——]

【The ceremony officially begins】

Lilith grabbed the candlestick and blew on it, and the three holy candles went out at the same time.

The entire space suddenly dimmed, and the scene before everyone's eyes returned to darkness and silence.

Tia felt herself landing, the marble slabs beneath her feet giving her a firm feeling, but the world around her was still pitch black. She could no longer hear the voices of Vera and Miss Scarlett.

I inexplicably feel like I'm entering a dungeon and a movie is about to start playing, and the voice-over is about to begin.

Immediately, the voice reached her ears.

【Recap】

On May 25, 518, a plague swept through the eastern industrial port of Nylon, completely isolating the North Port and the Greater Bay Area. A cargo ship from the Empire docked there after a long journey across the ocean. Just three days later, a ship explosion triggered a chain reaction of fires that would claim tens of thousands of lives, becoming the much-maligned "Nylon Port Fire."

【Promotion Tasks (Required & General)】

[As the alchemist Sofia Salvia of the Hand of Transformation, survive in Newlon Harbor for three days until the fire arrives (300 points)]

Nightmare Mission (Optional & Dedicated)

[Swords Don't Pass Here: Kill the enemy that is chasing you (400 points---from Ouroboros)]

[I Will Make You Strong: Protect your niece Elvira Salvia from death for three days (300 points - from the Oak in the Earth)]

[No Bloodshed: Complete the ritual with other participants, and gain 100 points for each survivor (up to 500 points - from the Oak in the Earth)]

[River of Blood: Kill other ritual participants, gain 100 points for each participant killed (up to 500 points - from Ouroboros)]

On Fire!: Ignite the Newlon Harbor Fire (1000 points - Alchemy)

The voiceover finished playing and the sound gradually faded.

A little light also appeared in front of Tia's eyes, just like the dazzling light that appears in her eyes when her unstable light sleep is broken or she opens her mobile phone to check the time.

Before she was completely engulfed by the gradually expanding light, a faint whisper came from the voice-over.

My child, Elvira Salvia, may you always be healthy and happy.

Volume 1: Chapter 19 Elvira Salvia

When Tia woke up again, she was already on the second floor of a dilapidated hotel.

It was a rather simple room with a bed, a dressing table, and a fireplace embedded in the middle of the not-very-thick wall, heating three rooms at the same time.

The door lock was broken, so it had been replaced with a simple iron bar latch. There was a window on the wall opposite the door, and the street view outside was Birch Street in the North Port District. Tia often passed by it on her way to school. Because it was adjacent to the port, it was quite prosperous.

But now the streets are deserted. Armed priests wearing fully enclosed helmets are sprinkling holy salt to dispel evil spirits. In the corners of the streets, you can still see homeless people huddled in the shadows receiving first aid and temporary relief from the priests.

There was a gallows in the middle of the street. A woman in a white robe with a sun tattoo on it had been hanged. She looked quite familiar.

Just as Tia was wondering why she had never seen this woman before but had a strong sense of déjà vu, a cold, wet hissing sound came from her mind.