The Essence of the Great Sephiroth, the Supreme Treasure.

The "Root," "Stem," and "Branch" of Sephiroth all yearned for this, their Mother's blessing.

But not only they. Even the highest-ranking entities of Chaos coveted the **Fruit**.

The ultimate ingredient, treasure, and elixir for all powers related to dimensions.

Of course, the blue flame present here was not the actual **Fruit**.

It was more accurately an inferior version—a replica, perhaps?

A failed imitation, crafted from remnants of the **Fruit** to the best extent possible.

"But it certainly seems like it would have some effect."

Whoever had created the stone and blue flame must have been connected to the Sephiroth clan.  
To dare to imitate the Mother's grace suggested they were undoubtedly mad.

Still, as she was now positioned to benefit from it, she couldn’t complain.

"If I can just get my hands on that…."

The desire surged within her. It was only a replica, an inferior version, but under her current circumstances, it was invaluable.

And then, a thought struck her.

"Maybe…?"

Yes. A way not only to restore her power but to ascend to an even higher state.

Initially, she had considered opening a dimensional gate to return to her sanctuary or calling for her comrades’ help.

The former would take time to regain her strength, and the latter would severely wound her pride.

But…

A replica or not, it was still a Fruit.

"What if I could use it to open a new passage, link it to the sanctuary, and stabilize it…?"

She recalled the battlefield, where the corpses of Chaos and the silver blood of the Sephiroth flowed like a sea.

Wars always ended eventually.  
Even after the battle, both sides would likely refrain from looting the spoils due to the risk of escalation.

If her plan succeeded…

An ocean of treasures.  
An endless wellspring.  
A mine of elixirs.

She’d restore all the losses she had incurred by sacrificing her body—and more.

*[Hehehe.]*  
"…."

Leaving such a grand treasure unguarded like this…

No wonder mortals were considered foolish.

These lowly creatures—blind despite having eyes. This girl, basking in her brief advantage, was no different.

*[This is definitely one of the dimensional techniques translated into this world's martial arts. I don’t fully understand the latter part, though.]*  
"A dimensional technique?"  
*[Hmm… the term came to mind, but I don’t know exactly what it is.]*  
"…."

For now, she needed to feign cooperation to gain trust.

Just one goal. She only needed to lure this girl into touching the **Fruit**.

That was it.

She could render the girl mindless, take over her body, and use the Fruit’s power to escape this wretched armor.

*[Oh, regarding that last part, there’s room for a nuanced interpretation. You might want to take it differently.]*

Noticing the woman's comment, the girl’s movements shifted slightly.

The woman felt a sense of victory.

Yes. She only needed to keep playing along until then.

Just endure until that moment.

She provided plenty of information while the girl analyzed and internalized the stone’s inscriptions.

In fact, the inscriptions were dimensional techniques reshaped as martial arts for this world, with considerable deviations.

She had to pour her efforts into deciphering and interpreting these dimensional techniques.

"Could the goal be to allow non-clan members to use it?"

However, there were many flaws and missing elements, making it impossible for her to fully understand.

But she assisted the girl as much as possible, filling in gaps.

It’s said that sincerity moves even heaven.

Finally, the girl spoke.

"Is it that flame you desire?"  
*[....]*  
"You’ve been notably silent when it comes to the holy flame."

The woman was taken aback by the girl’s comment.

She’d been so focused on training that she hadn’t paid any attention to her surroundings.

Apparently, the girl had been observing her as well.

And why had she pretended to have lost her memory?

Because, in this dynamic, she was at a disadvantage. To avoid being backed into a corner, she had pretended to forget things.

"Hmm."  
*[....]*  
"It shouldn’t be an issue. I received permission."

Permission? From whom?

"If you master the stone’s full text, I’ll give you what you want."  
*[!!]*  
"But if there’s any carelessness, I’ll retract the offer."

What does that matter?  
All that mattered was obtaining the **Fruit**.

From what she had observed, Birdel was the type to keep her word.

Good. She would go all out.

Thus began the odd collaboration between the woman and the girl.

The promise of the **Fruit** was a sweet enough reward to warrant her complete dedication.

The results came faster than expected.

*[!!]*  
"*Hah... hah….*"

The air trembled as a faint crack appeared.

It was just a hairline fracture, but it was clear that she had left a mark on the dimensional barrier.

*[....]*

Was this purely a matter of talent?

Though she had provided theoretical support, she hadn’t guaranteed the technique’s effectiveness.

Seeing the girl accomplish this so confidently left her speechless.

"I think I have the hang of it."  
*[You… have the hang of it?]*  
"First, I’ll do this…."

Once again, Birdel entered a trance-like state.

The woman was at a loss for words.

…Well, it didn’t matter if it was arrogance, lies, or delusion.  
All that mattered was achieving her goal.

After some time…

*Shhh—*

*[!!!]*

A visible crack appeared.

*[This… this is a success! Although we can’t imagine using it to reach another dimension, opening the door itself counts as a success!]*  
"Is that so? It’s definitely different from before. Last time was just a fluke."  
*[This is… impossible…]*

It couldn’t be real.

And before? A fluke? What is she talking about?

The woman wanted to ask out of sheer amazement but held back.

Well, this would become "my" body soon enough. I’ll find out later.

*[So, about our deal…?]*  
"…."

Fortunately, Birdel hadn’t forgotten the promise.

Good. After all, with a mortal body, she couldn’t pass through a dimensional passage. Her soul would be torn to shreds and scattered across dimensions.

Meaning, without her additional help, Birdel’s attempt would be meaningless!

She had even subtly planted a trap, just in case Birdel tried to back out at the last moment.

Even the Chaos entities required special procedures to endure the dimensional passage.

No mortal could withstand its pressure.

Fortunately, it seemed she wouldn’t need to resort to threats.

"Get ready."  
*[Hehehe. Right.]*

It was time to claim her new vessel.

---

*[You’ve received a message from the Administrator.]*  
—"Quite valuable information, actually."

*[You’ve received a message from the Administrator.]*  
—"I think we’ve got a rough outline now. Good job."

*[You’ve received a message from the Administrator.]*  
—"However, it seems they’re still not fully letting their guard down. It’s mostly surface-level information. Still, it’s been quite helpful."

*[You’ve received a message from the Administrator.]*  
—"What? Haha. No, you’re doing just fine as you are. I have particular expectations for you."

*[You’ve received a message from the Administrator.]*  
—"Hmm. But that holy flame, was it? You might be better off ignoring it. Although the 'Hydra' has a minimal setup for it… it’s not even as capable in that area as a standard suit."

*[You’ve received a message from the Administrator.]*  
—"Well, I wouldn’t recommend it, but your choice matters most."

*[You’ve received a message from the Administrator.]*  
—"Anyway, good work. Let me know if you need anything."

Birdel steadied her thoughts in front of the holy flame. Recalling the conversation, she struggled to calm herself.

The spirit within the armor was quite simple-minded. Claiming memory loss to evade questions was a transparent lie.

And every time she mentioned the holy flame, she tried her best not to speak.

What could that mean?

Obviously, it meant she saw it as a threat and wanted to avoid mentioning it.

When Birdel thought it through, the likely motive was to take over her body.

Had she been an ordinary transmigrator, she might not have suspected this.

But in the **Dimensional Community**, there were all kinds of people and stories.

It was a reasonable assumption.

The Administrator had advised caution, suggesting it wasn’t necessary.

"But I… want to be of more help."

Or perhaps, it was the desire to meet him as soon as possible.

The woman’s voice rang in her mind.

*[What are you doing? Don’t tell me you’re breaking the promise?!]*  
*[If you’re just trying to make me nervous, stop it! This isn’t funny!]*

Funny? Hardly.

She always put forth her best effort, as it was far from enough if she wanted to reach him.

He clearly showed interest in her.  
But was it truly the kind of interest she hoped for?

No. She knew the truth.

If she considered her interactions with Namgung Jin or Jegal Hyun, it was easy to understand.

It was the kind of fleeting feeling one had for a passing stray dog.

Never an equal.

A one-sided interest.

One he could withdraw at any moment.

Would that kind of interest ever be enough?

"First, I need to prove

 my worth."

And to do that—

She would have to take some risks.

Or maybe even put her life on the line to have even a slight chance.

What kind of world could he live in?

Birdel cast aside her musings and took a slow step toward the holy flame.