What? I Actually Reincarnated As Stepping Stone In Another World?



Yet, in an unexpected turn, the woman's eyelids quivered faintly, parting to reveal blood-red irises as she roused from her unconscious state.

"Where am I?" The woman's eyes blinked open as she gradually rose from the confines of the coffin, her gaze sweeping over the obscure and somber surroundings.

Erecting herself, she hesitantly stood, her countenance still marred by bewilderment.

"Shouldn't I be departed, relishing celestial bliss alongside him? Why, then, am I ensconced within this enigmatic place?" Her mutterings were marked by a disoriented tone as she cradled her head.

In the blink of an eye, her eyes widened with stark astonishment, and an intense agony seared into her consciousness, driving her to emit a piercing, hysterical scream.

"Ahhh!" She convulsed in torment, collapsing to the ground and clutching her head as the anguish wracked her being.

"What manner of torment is this?!" The woman's cries persisted as the agony surged before gradually receding, allowing her to regain her faculties.

With a slow exhalation, the pain finally subsided, leaving her consciousness intact once more.

A torrent of disjointed and unfamiliar memories inundated her mind, engulfing her senses with their overwhelming presence.

She briefly shut her eyes to grapple with the influx, allowing the memories to coalesce.

"Inhale... exhale..." A controlled breath escaped her lips before her eyes snapped open, and a malevolent brilliance gleamed within the depths of her blood-red irises.

A chilling laughter erupted from her, its eerie cadence reverberating through the chamber.

"Hahh~ I comprehend now, hahahaha!" Her eyes glinted with an intense scarlet hue as her eerie laughter reverberated, captivating the very air around her.

Gradually, the laughter subsided, unveiling a transformation in her countenance.

The once-cold pallor had metamorphosed into an animated allure, radiating an irresistibly captivating allure.

"I never anticipated my rebirth in this world, assuming the mantle of the Demon Emperor ruling over the dormant demon continent," the woman murmured softly, an aura of intense foreboding emanating from her presence.

In an instant, she vanished from her previous position, reappearing amidst the inky heavens of the demon continent—an eternal realm untouched by the rays of daylight.

Surveying her surroundings with an aloof demeanor, she gradually elevated her graceful and elegant right hand.

"Boom!"

Out of nowhere, obsidian flames surged forth from the abyssal wasteland, expanding across a radius of thousands of kilometers to form an extraordinary, expansive ring.

"Whoosh!"

The ring of black flames began to widen, consuming its surroundings with a voracious fervor that left no vestige of its passage.

"Demon race! The time for your resurgence has arrived, for your Emperor has roused!" Her proclamation rang out, and an eerie resonance permeated the colossal chasm carved by the ancient palace, yielding an ominous reverberation.

Gradually, from the depths of the abyss emerged colossal entities of terrifying forms.

One emerged, then five, followed by twenty, and then a hundred.

The tide of strange, demonic creatures poured forth incessantly, their numbers beyond calculation.

The woman remained stationary, an air of detached observation surrounding her.

Eventually, the procession culminated, with each creature taking its place in an unprecedentedly vast array, spanning the entire expanse.

"Greetings, Demon Emperor!" A united chorus of reverence resounded, all the demons bending in homage to the woman with unwavering reverence.

Countless demons prostrated themselves, their collective obeisance infusing the once-silent demon continent with newfound vitality.

The woman's countenance remained unaffected by this display, her demeanor persistently composed as she surveyed the scene with a detached gaze.

"Arise, all of you!" Her voice, though soft-spoken, resonated with resounding clarity in the ears of every demon present.

As one, they relinquished their prostrate stances, rising in unison.

Subsequently, her crimson eyes were transfixed on the dark heavens, honing in on a singular point.

"A swoosh!"

With astounding swiftness, the woman ascended into the sky, her arms outstretched wide.

"Core Artifact: Devouring Sword!" An abrupt command echoed as a malevolent black sword materialized in her delicate hand, exuding a formidable aura.

Her ascent through the sky ceased, and she hovered midair.

Her crimson gaze swept over the entirety of the demon continent before she executed a seamless arc with her sword.

"Fire Elemental Art: Purgatory!" The incantation slipped from her lips, and instantly an expansive maw of searing black flames manifested, engulfing the demon continent.

Though the black inferno emitted intense heat, it remained under her dominion, refraining from consuming its surroundings.

"Boom!"

The progress of the black flames halted abruptly, ascending into the heavens to forge four colossal pillars that pierced the sky's expanse.

The ebony clouds enveloping the entire demon continent fractured, allowing sunlight to permeate the continent realm after a prolonged absence.

Her motion ceased, and the woman surveyed her domain with icy detachment.

"Everything remains untouched..." Her murmuring carried a touch of melancholy.

An image materialized within her mind—of a man.

In a rare departure from her customary detachment, an unsettling smile unfurled across her countenance.

"This marks only the inception. Since my rebirth in this world, it stands to reason you've been reborn as well." The woman's blood-red irises shimmered with an almost disconcerting fondness, though their intensity could easily evoke fear in any observer.

"I anticipate our reunion, relishing the prospect of ensnaring you and preventing any escape or denial, my beloved Zayn." A sinister smile twisted her features as her words divulged a strange yearning.

The expression lingered briefly before she abruptly vanished from her perch.

...

Meanwhile, on the distant Elven continent, the World Tree soared majestically into the heavens, its colossal girth spanning hundreds of kilometers, establishing itself as the epicenter of existence on this continent.

A profusion of life essence imbued the continent, rendering it the most fecund and vibrant among the three continents.

Regarded as the sole entity to endure over countless millennia, the World Tree bore witness to the elves' devout reverence, elevating it to a deity-like status throughout the continent.

Adjacent to the World Tree, a resplendent and grand palace soared skyward.

The palace's magnitude, although considerable, paled in comparison to the colossal World Tree beside it—a stark illustration of the latter's enormity.

"Do the prophecies of our forebears truly manifest?" An exceedingly stunning elven woman attired in regal robes perused the report in her possession with earnest concentration.

Her gaze then shifted to the man standing before her, his bowed head a gesture of utmost respect.

"Did this event occur recently, or has it transpired over an extended period?" The elven queen inquired with a solemn demeanor, seeking elucidation from the man before her.

In response, the man assented with a decisive nod and offered a candid explanation.

"Your Majesty, our observers stationed upon the demon continent relayed this information not long ago. The demon continent is indeed undergoing a colossal transformation, characterized by the sudden emergence of ominous black flames that coalesce into towering pillars across the land." As he spoke, a trace of apprehension flickered across his features, a visible tremor coursing through him.

The magnitude of this extraordinary occurrence had triggered a sense of panic within him, compelling him to swiftly apprise the sovereign before him—none other than the revered Queen of the Elven continent.

Absorbing the information intently, the queen lowered her gaze in contemplation.

"I understand... Is there anything else you've gleaned from these developments?" She inquired once more, seeking to corroborate the details.

The man's recollections formed a coherent narrative, and he promptly relayed his observations to the queen.

Upon hearing the entirety of his account, the queen released a subdued exhalation, her nod carrying a weight of comprehension.

"Very well, I appreciate your diligence in reporting. You may depart now," she stated, her tone a blend of gratitude and dismissal.

The man bowed respectfully in response, acknowledging her permission to leave.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I shall withdraw now." With that, he took his leave, exiting the chamber.

As her gaze lingered on his retreating form, the queen briefly closed her eyes, allowing the influx of information to settle within her thoughts.

Moments later, her eyes opened anew, their vibrant green hue unwavering.

"It appears I must apprise the ancestor of this development." Her nod was resolute, and with that realization, she faded from her location.

Soon, she materialized near the towering World Tree, her gaze brimming with reverence as it rested upon its immense arboreal presence.

"I wonder if our ancestor will heed my call and offer guidance in this dire time." She mused, lost in introspection, unsure if her ancestral lineage would offer aid.

Alas, the elven ancestor had long proclaimed his refusal to intervene in the continent's struggles, regardless of their nature.

Nonetheless, the woman recognized that her sole recourse lay in beseeching the elven ancestor's counsel.

"Hey~ I hope you won't be vexed by my plea and will extend your wisdom to answer my query," she murmured with a shake of her head.

Swiftly, she approached the World Tree and tenderly laid her palm upon one of its branches.

"Whoosh!" Infusing her mana, a door woven from the very branches of the tree manifested before her, capturing her attention in its mystic presence.

She directed her gaze toward the door's manifestation.

Subsequently, a profound shift swept through her demeanor as the regal authority that marked her as the ruler of the elven continent receded into the background.

With a gracious bow of her head, she relinquished the sovereign mantle in favor of reverence.

Addressing the door with utmost respect, she extended a deferential salutation.

"I, the present-generation elven queen, extend my respectful greetings to the revered ancestor."