At the very instant the birdcage was lowered, Normani abruptly ceased her melodious ballad and uttered a sequence of words that struck Kenley with profound astonishment.

  "Code authentication has failed. Error code. Initiate the emergency backup code procedure."

  A tempestuous crimson whirlwind seemed to encircle Normani, and a fierce tempest lashed out in all directions like a barrage of deadly blades.

  Parker and Brian, caught unawares, were instantaneously swept up by the tempest and mercilessly torn asunder on the spot! Not a trace of them remained.

  The countenances of the four alchemists behind them changed in an instant. They could never have anticipated that the experimental subject would go berserk!

  "Flee at once!" The leader of the alchemists unhesitatingly issued the order to retreat.

  Daina's expression also shifted. "What on earth is transpiring here?"

  Kenley promptly covered Daina's mouth. "Not a sound!"

  If his ears had not deceived him, the string of commands Normani had just uttered were the reserve codes from the game.

  This sent a subtle shock coursing through Kenley. Was he still ensnared within the game, or had he returned to the realm of reality?

  Upon recollecting the words spoken by the phantom, Kenley felt a chill run down his spine. This entire situation was truly eerie.

  Whether it was Tia, Guinevere, or the various individuals he had encountered along his journey, each and every one of them seemed so vividly real. They were beings of flesh and blood, possessing their own unique personalities and souls, and were distinctly unlike mere computer-generated AIs.

  Yet the scene unfolding before his very eyes seemed to suggest that he had been thrust back into the game. Was this some cruel jest perpetrated by the Mother Goddess? Or perhaps it was yet another elaborate prank? An official hidden easter egg?

  Kenley was at a loss. His mind was now in a state of disarray.

  The alchemists, scattering in all directions in a desperate bid for escape, were immediately subjected to Normani's relentless pursuit and slaughter. At this moment, Normani's form was wracked by a strange malfunction, as if her very essence was experiencing an information breakdown. There were even moments when Kenley caught glimpses of binary data codes emanating from her, a sight that was truly unsettling.

  Her attacks were utterly unstoppable. The level-50 alchemists were unable to offer even the slightest resistance and were summarily slain on the spot.

  In Kenley's field of vision, when Normani's attacks landed upon the alchemists, the HP depletion values appeared as a jumbled string of characters. With the merest brush of her assault, the alchemists vanished into thin air.

  "We must make our escape!" Kenley turned and whispered.

  Heaven only knew what was truly happening. Although the sight of human data code information had left Kenley deeply shocked and had caused him to question the very fabric of the world, the most pressing matter at hand was to ensure their survival.

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  Daina was no fool. She too had witnessed the moment when Normani effortlessly dispatched the fifth-rank alchemist. Despite her confidence in her own prowess, for some inexplicable reason, the sight of Normani's attacks instilled in her a profound sense of dread.

  If she were to be struck by such an attack, she would surely meet her demise, wouldn't she?

  The two of them immediately held their breaths and stealthily began to retrace their steps along the path they had come. While Normani's attention remained fixed on the alchemists, they had to extricate themselves from this perilous situation as swiftly as possible.

  "Spare me! Spare me!" One of the alchemists, driven mad by fear, began to run erratically, and his path happened to lead directly towards Kenley and Daina.

  Damn it!

  Kenley clicked his tongue in frustration. If this continued, they were sure to be discovered!

  What could they do?

  "You go ahead! I'll draw her attention!" Just then, Daina unexpectedly stepped forward.

  "You'll be killed!" Kenley shoved Daina backward. For some reason, Anya's image flashed through Kenley's mind, and he was determined not to repeat the mistakes of the past.

  "As a knight of the Christophon family, death is but a badge of honor for me. Mr. Kenley, remember to convey my honor to my sister." Daina's tone was resolute.

  "Mr. Kenley, stay alive." With those words, she prepared to advance.

  "I won't allow you to perish!" Ignoring her protests, Kenley grabbed Daina and draped the cloak of light over them, effectively concealing both of their forms.

  "Stay put!" Kenley held down the agitated Daina.

  Kenley could only take a desperate gamble now, hoping that this imitation cloak of light would prove to be their salvation.

  The alchemist in question was none other than the final leader. Realizing that escape was futile, he produced a mysterious vial of potion and downed it in one swift motion.

  Subsequently, the alchemist's body underwent a rapid transformation. His once-human hands began to sprout dragon scales, and dragon horns emerged from the crown of his head.

  Upon witnessing this, Normani seemed intrigued. She halted her pursuit and began to observe the leader's transformation with keen interest.

  As the leader's body continued to change, his human arms bulged with sinewy muscles, and his form became robust and powerful, in a grotesque and unsettling manner.

  "The Chaos Dragon was born from the blood of the progenitor of all dragons. It has fathomed the truth of the world and brought an end to the Age of Gold. And you, you are merely a product of this distorted world. You are utterly incapable of comprehending the truth of chaos!" the leader roared. His body had now fully transformed into that of a dragonman.

  "Hahaha! I've achieved it! I've achieved it! Hahaha!" He seemed immensely satisfied with his new form. The surge of power coursing through him filled him with boundless confidence.

  Level 70? Kenley was taken aback. This mutation was truly astonishing.

  "Code authentication failed. Rectify the error... Rectify the error..." But Normani paid no heed to the leader's ranting. In a blur of motion, she vanished from the spot.

  The alchemist leader let out a cry of surprise. Despite his newfound strength as a dragonman, he was unable to keep pace with Normani's speed.

  Then, to the horror of Kenley and Daina, they watched as Normani casually swiped her claws, and the alchemist leader's head was instantly severed from his body.

  A being who had transformed into a level-70 entity was dispatched with such ease!

  "That's a being of the seventh rank..." Daina couldn't help but mutter under her breath. Although her voice was barely audible, Kenley could sense the shock in her tone.

  Kenley immediately signaled for Daina to remain silent.

  Daina nodded vigorously. Even with her pride, she could sense the uncanny nature of the situation. She obediently followed Kenley's instructions, not daring to utter a single word.

  After eliminating all the alchemists, Normani cast a cold, calculating gaze around the scene.

  She happened to have her back turned to Kenley and Daina. They were unable to discern the expression on her face or anticipate her next move. However, Kenley was certain of one thing: the cloak of light had indeed saved their lives.

  Normani had failed to detect their presence beneath the cloak of light, which caused Kenley to heave a sigh of relief.

  However, due to their close proximity, Kenley failed to notice that his arm was nestled between Daina's ample bosom, and Daina's face had flushed a deep crimson.

  Daina was wearing a helmet, so Kenley didn't perceive her expression.