Darkness engulfed Iris as she descended through reality. Her body remained in the same place, but her surrounding floated up, leaving mushy traces which merged into a dim, pale landscape. Colours left the world and turned everything into a dull, monochromatic grey. The disturbance of the Puppeteer Legacy Ground quietened while the air thickened; the Corruption Power surged, permeating the pyramid, the stone buildings, everything.

The Shadow Heart Core shook as Iris fell to her knees, panting. Even with her liquid body, she still suffered from the power of the everchanging orb. If not for her descending into the Shadow Plane, she would have disintegrated into pure energy, her life confiscated.

She gradually stood up and inspected the surrounding. She was still inside the Puppeteer Legacy Ground; she was in its shadow. The everchanging orb had disappeared. The rest was still the same.

"Iris, you're too reckless," Iris mumbled. "Doesn’t matter now. At least the chaos will help me. Please let this be successful."

Iris had risked herself to come into the Puppeteer Legacy Ground because she wished to reach the Transformation Phase. The Soul Fruits she had weren't enough. She also lacked time to refine her innate power and naturally succeed in her breakthrough.

The Puppeteer Legacy Ground would be the place for her explosive growth. If not for her encounter with Quasi and the journey into the sacred graveyard, she would still try to explore further.

"Quasi, I've done my best. The world will forget about you and your trace," Iris said as she closed her eyes. "I'll create an even bigger commotion so that all attention will be on me. That will be my final farewell."

The Corruption Power flowed around Iris, forming a whirlpool of pale-purple wind, which slowly darkened as its quantity and quality increased. Iris trembled as the condensed Corruption Power permeated her, seeping into her slime and merging with her Shadow Heart Core.

A muffled yet loud crack resounded as her body changed its colour, turning dark purple, assimilated by the Corruption Power. Iris couldn't take any more Corruption Power, or she would fall into a mindless, lustful state, yet she still forced herself to take in more Corruption Power.

The numbing pain erupted, forcing Iris to clutch her fractured shoulders, wailing in pain, but she never stopped. The Shadow Heart Core rapidly sucked in the Corruption Power while the excess Corruption Power leaked out. Iris gradually lost her sense of touch, then her sense of pain. A chill circulated her slime. The cracking noises faded. Her vision blurred. Her mind drifted.

The quantity of Corruption Power inside her surpassed the amount Pallorn took in; her soul couldn't handle it anymore. She softly fell on the floor, feeling the coldness of the stone platform. Her body melted, trickling along the cracks on the ground. Without any sound, she slowly lost herself. Lightness overwhelmed her mind, yet she exerted herself against the comfort.

As she slowly fell asleep, she shuddered. Something changed inside her. The drowsiness gradually dissipated.

A sound which transcended perception echoed. It was a light snap, which broke a formless cage that bound Iris. It shattered into countless pieces, merging into her soul, igniting her potential, devouring the rampaging Corruption Power.

The leaking Corruption Power inverted its flow. Iris gradually regained her senses; her vision was full of purple wind, her sense of touch tingling. The Corruption Power engulfed her, repairing her cracked membrane, permeating her slime, filling her soul. She had broken through her limit and felt her rigid body loosening, her soul growing bigger, her mind becoming clearer.

The Shadow Heart Core depleted the overflowing Corruption Power, producing an endless amount of slime, gushing it out of the membrane. Iris rapidly expanded, her body getting vaster, her consciousness flooding the pyramid. She could effortlessly move her body, condense and dissolve, reform and shatter. Her slime manipulation mastery grew; she could mimic others with greater accuracy.

That wasn't the end; Iris still had her eyes closed, immersed in the instinctive knowledge, which manifested after she broke through the limit. Her back quivered before rupturing into a pair of watery wings. They condensed into black feathery wings, lightly fluttering in the windless air.

Inside them, Iris could feel the strange, angelic, demonic quality. Though it was faint, almost indiscernible, it would still enchant others.

After becoming a Transformation Phase Slime Girl, Iris could mimic the appearance, aura, and a tiny amount of her target's ability. The more intimacy she had with her target, the better result she could display.

Iris had intimate knowledge of Pallorn. When she mimicked Pallorn, she could display a part of her Fallen Angel's innate charm.

She could not mimic most of the Monster Girls she knew; she lacked the intimate knowledge of their strange, captivating bodies. Even if she had a chance to learn more about them, she would hesitate.

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It was already hard for her just to be with her family, let alone other strong, forceful Monster Girls.

Even then, she could not mimic the strong Monster Girls; her limit was lower to middle-tier Transformation Phase Monster Girls.

As Iris slowly flapped her wings, her memory of the night with Pallorn surfaced. The sensual touches lingered in her body, diffusing in her mind, reddening her deep blue slime. The more intimate the memory, the better her control over her mimicked body.

Iris immediately stopped flying and dissolved her wings, her face pinkish. Her body almost collapsed. She still couldn't bear to remember it. The vigorous moment had become a nightmare, a forbidden nightmare, the kind which she detested yet still came back for more.

"I finally did it," Iris said. "Everyone, I'm coming back soon."

...

Undrila was soaking in her warm, milky bath when she widened her eyes and turned to the door into her bathroom. Her bathroom was gigantic, decorated in gold and gemstones, covered with pale mists. The magical formations inside were maintaining the relaxing atmosphere, circulating the softening water, playing cheerful music.

The serene atmosphere broke as Corane pushed open the door and entered the bathroom. She looked around before heading straight towards Undrila, smiling. Her speed was faster than running, but her movement looked like an elegant stroll.

"You're late," Undrila said. "I've been soaking for a while."

"Why are you still using my bathroom? You said it wasn't satisfying."

"That’s because you didn't join me last time."

Seeing Undrila's playful smile, Corane sighed as she undressed, deliberately doing it slowly. Her silky clothes gradually unravelled as she placed them beside the bath. They formed an adorable pile of colours. Undrila tried to snatch it, but Corane grabbed her hand and stared hard at her teasing expression.

"Look at you, Undria. I wonder how other Mermaids would think if they knew their great leader is a pervert," Corane said. Her mouth curved into a smile. "Look at your skin, so oily and sticky. What kind of fluid is that?"

Undrila giggled and pulled back her slippery arm. She quickly submerged under the milky water, her glowing blue fins gliding along the surface, moving up and down in the water. Her silhouette danced in the warm, foggy atmosphere, inviting Corane to play with her.

"Corane, why don't you guess what I did before you come here?" Undrila said. "I was lonely, and my hand was itching. You have to compensate me."

"You're an embarrassment to your race, Undria." Corane grinned and jumped into the pool. Her wings fluttered in the water, creating ripples. "If I catch you within ten minutes, I'll have my way today."

"So ferocious, so handsome. As expected of a Dragon Girl!"

The two Lords played inside their soundproof bathroom. Their voices occasionally resounded, enveloping the hazy atmosphere with burning desires.

As the leaders of the Labyrinth, they had responsibilities. When they got free time, they would engage in relaxation and hobbies. Because the two were close friends, they could do anything to each other and keep it secret. They liked it and wanted it.

Before Corane could catch Undrila, Undrila suddenly frowned and stopped playing. She raised her right hand and closed her eyes. Dark purple Corruption Power surged around her, congregating on her palm. It merged into a black crystal, which floated without any magic, shivering under the foreign influence.

"The Shadow Heart Fragment is trembling?" Corane said. Undrila had told her about it a long time ago. "What does this mean?"

"The Core is waking up. The inheritor has appeared." Undrila opened her eyes. They shone in dark light. "The connection is very intense. It's telling me to enter the Shadow Plane."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Corane grasped Undrila's hand and smiled at her. She moved closer to Undrila, almost hugging her. Their bodies rubbed against one another. Though the thick fogs concealed their full figures, they could still see the other's naked beauty.

"Pity, it's been so long since we could have some fun together," Undrila said. "Let's go see the commotion first. The others must have noticed it too."

...

"All five Fragments vibrate together?" the Second Princess of the Broken Empire said.

She was standing before the great throne of the imperial throne room. In front of her, five Shadow Heart Fragments floated together, quivering. They radiated black light, which tainted the room with a majestic power that dyed everything grey and dull.

Facing the light, the Second Princess stared into the Fragments, her eyes glowing in soft azure. Unlike the demonic and corrupted decoration of the hall, the Second Princess had an angelic appearance, completely human. Her delicate white skin reflected the black light, her beauty unsullied by external factors. Her azure irises glittered with determination and wisdom. Her black hair flowed to her waist, fluttering with the wind of her power.

Behind her, three Condensation Phase Monster Girls knelt on the crimson carpet, their foreheads touching the floor. They only glimpsed at the Second Princess's blue dress, whose tail rested gently before them. Though they couldn't see her appearance, just her aura was enough to quicken their breathing.

"Your Highness, what is your command?"

"The time is nigh. The Pure Races will face their greatest crisis yet." The Second Princess waved her arm, her sleeves flowing with her movement. "Lady Lilith has given us this precious opportunity. We will not let her down."

"The army is waiting for your command, Your Highness. Please guide us to the new era, the era of us Monster Girls."

...

"Iris, you've broken through the first shackle," Gulia said as she raised her head. Her true body was still bound to the divine chains, but they could not stop her from knowing everything within the Sinking Dark Forest. "You're a little faster than I expected. That’s good. If I can't predict your advancement, Fate won't either."

"The others must have locked their gaze onto you." Gulia laughed. Her shrill voice echoed inside her endless prison, shaking the countless formations engraved in space and time. "Very well, I shall act as you expected. I hope you will not disappoint us."

Gulia trembled as black light emerged from her ghostly pale skin, surging around her, overwhelming the formations and the prison. Cracks in space and time manifested, revealing the outer world, the material plane. Below her, the highest peak of the Sinking Dark Forest stood, shivering as the foreign pressure descended.

The entire Sinking Dark Forest quaked. A tide of black energy flooded the landscape, engulfing everything in its path.

The Sinking commenced.