It was 8 AM in Tokyo, in the Visible World.
On the bustling streets, the faces of salarymen showed no joy, only exhaustion and resistance to going to work. Yet, they couldn't not go; if they didn't, their wives and children would become someone else's.
Those without wives or children would be evicted by their landlords and forced to sleep on the streets.
In stark contrast to these office workers were the students in their school uniforms, full of youthful vigor, their very way of walking seeming to carry sunshine.
The salarymen occasionally cast glances of emotion and pity, knowing that after graduation, this youthful vigor would vanish completely.
They were veterans, after all.
A golden gateway appeared out of thin air amidst the crowd. People seemed completely oblivious to it, yet they instinctively avoided it.
Three figures emerged from the gate, and Saya Takagi immediately looked around.
People seemed not to see them. Then, she saw the tip of a silver iron tower peeking out from the side of a tall building at the end of the street.
"Is that… Sky Tree?" Saya Takagi asked, surprised.
The "Sky Tree," officially known as the Tokyo Skytree, is Tokyo's meteorological radio tower, a landmark, and its tallest building. On clear days, it can be seen from anywhere in Tokyo.
"This is Tokyo."
Xia Wei smiled: "Yes, a parallel world. They are all Earth, just different times and slightly different histories."
"It's like leaves on a tree; although each leaf is similar, they are not identical."
"Most of the current Lower Realms are parallel worlds, differing only in time and some historical variations."
Tendo Kisara looked around, exclaiming, "It's so prosperous!"
Of course, she knew about parallel worlds; most of the current Divine Servants were from parallel worlds.
This world clearly didn't have the history of a Gastrea outbreak.
If there hadn't been the Gastrea virus, perhaps the world she came from would also be this prosperous.
"?" Saya Takagi suddenly rubbed her eyes. The world in her vision was gradually changing.
The ordinary Tokyo street began to show small, strange "monsters."
And the light was gradually dimming. As the light faded, more and more monsters appeared.
From palm-sized old man monsters at first, to colossal, worm-like creatures fused together, larger than skyscrapers.
Busujima Yako's mouth hung open in disbelief.
By now, the sky had turned purplish-black, and the entire city had become a decaying, dilapidated sight. Monsters, constantly emitting Black Smoke, almost completely filled the ruined city.
From a prosperous human city, it had completely transformed into a monster-filled hell.
Saya Takagi quickly looked at Tendo Kisara and Lord Xia Wei beside her.
Tendo Kisara had disappeared; only Lord Xia Wei remained by her side, and Lord Xia Wei was emitting a gentle sunlight that dispelled the hellish scenery around them.
Hoarse sounds, as if from a broken bellows, echoed from all directions.
"Pain! Light! So painful!"
"Run! Run away!"
"Chirp chirp—."
Monsters within a thousand-meter radius, regardless of size, burned and melted under the sunlight emitted by Lord Xia Wei, until only a fist-sized white orb of light remained.
These orbs of light chirped as if expressing gratitude, then slowly became transparent and finally vanished.
"Lord Xia Wei, this is…" Busujima Yako regained her senses. She wasn't scared, just bewildered by everything that had suddenly happened.
"This is the deep layer of the Ri (Other) World," Xia Wei said, looking at the decaying scenery around them.
"As long as one can perceive it, one can see it. And if one can see it, one will fall from the surface world into the Ri (Other) World."
"The entire Ri (Other) World has seven layers. The further down you go, the more numerous and powerful these monsters become."
"The first three layers overlap with the surface world, so you won't directly fall into the Ri (Other) World. If you perceive the fourth layer, you will directly fall from the surface world."
The moment Xia Wei stepped into this world, he saw through everything.
This world possessed a complete "Necromancy Law."
"Necromancy Law" is not the "Undead Law." Necromancy Law governs death but not burial. Generally, the "Necromancy Law" only exists in the "Underworld."
And only Third-Tier worlds have such advanced places as the "Underworld."
If there is no "Underworld," then, unfortunately, life and death will be disordered and overlapping; the human world will be hell, and hell will be the human world.
After a person dies, if their soul has no special qualities, it will become a spirit in a short time. A soul that has become a spirit no longer possesses any living qualities and has completely transformed into another type of creature.
"However, this world is quite clever; it layers the world."
Since the problem cannot be fully solved, solve a part of it. As long as it doesn't cause a major impact on civilization, it's fine.
Therefore, they cut off the world's perception. As long as humans don't perceive it, they won't see it. As long as they don't see it, they won't be affected by the "Necromancy Law."
The world merely layered the cognitive perception, not the space itself.
Both humans and "spirits" live in the same space.
They just don't affect each other; only what humans perceive can affect them.
"What are those monsters?" Saya Takagi touched the sword at her waist.
Although these monsters looked powerful and huge, she felt she could cut them down.
"Spirits, creatures formed from the corrupted souls of deceased humans. They are completely separated from their living selves and are now entirely unrelated beings," Xia Wei said.
"When these monsters are cut down, that spark of human soul will break free and return to the world's cycle for reincarnation."
"Possessing divinity, you can directly observe the deepest secrets of this world, which is why you fell directly to the deepest part."
"These layers have no restrictions on you. You only need to adjust your perception to that of an ordinary person to return to the surface world." Saya Takagi closed her eyes and began to adjust her perception of the world.
Opening her eyes again, the surroundings had once again become a bustling street. Not a single monster reappeared in her sight.
"Phew—" She let out a deep sigh of relief. That place, like the Underworld, was truly suffocating, even though it didn't harm her.
But it was unpleasant to the senses.
"Lord Xia Wei, Senior Busujima, what's wrong?" Tendo Kisara asked, puzzled. Just after emerging from the Heavenly Realm Gate, Lord Xia Wei and Senior Busujima had stood still for a minute.
The surrounding passersby were already giving them strange looks.
Meanwhile, on another street a few hundred meters away.
"? They disappeared in an instant?" A girl with waist-length black hair and golden eyes stared in shock as all the monsters on the entire street vanished in an instant.
She quickly rubbed her eyes and looked again, only to see golden light occupying half of her vision. This golden light was coming from the adjacent street.
"Did the sun fall?" Yotsuya Miko quickly patted her cheeks, then looked again as if to confirm.
"Huh? Miko, what did you say?" The short-haired, large-breasted girl beside her blinked, asking somewhat blankly.