Infinite Range: The Sniper Mage

Chapter 676: 676: Just a Lonely, Lovelorn Girl

High above the UJ Warzone of Blue Star, a strange black orb continued to expand, like a monstrous eye opening from some alien realm.

Its surface shimmered with a rippling energy membrane, crackling sporadically with blood-red arcs of lightning. Each spark seemed to whisper secrets from the darkest corners of the cosmos.

The black orb devoured light and matter alike. The space around it warped slightly, radiating a dreadful, ominous presence that felt both mysterious and dangerous.

“The Day of Descent is here! The gods of the galaxy have finally arrived—they’re here to save us!”

“Yes! In that world, there’s no war, no suffering, no death! It’s a land of bliss, humanity’s final sanctuary!”

“Naoko, we’ve waited for this moment so long. What’s a little treason if it means ascending to the Divine Realm?”

Tears streamed down the faces of Ishinaka and the others. As leaders of the three major guilds, they had already “seen the truth” through the Realm of Virtual Gods.

To welcome the arrival of the Demon God, they had obeyed the so-called “Divine Child,” Orson—betraying their entire warzone in the process.

But to them, it was all worth it. The endless bloodshed would end with the Demon God’s arrival. Humanity would begin a new Chapter in its history.

“Lies.”

Naoko looked up at the growing abyss in the sky, her voice calm and cold. Her grip on the Yata Mirror was so tight that veins bulged along her slender hand.

Akagi Go frowned. “What are you talking about? The world misunderstood the Heaven Demons. We know the truth. Isn’t that something worth celebrating?”

Ishinaka chimed in. “You and I passed the trials of the Realm of Virtual Gods. We’ve already survived the Fusion World’s tests. What happens next is beyond our concern.”

Kawakita chuckled. “Come on, she’s messing with you. If I had to guess, she’s saying the lie is… the Infinite Dimensions system itself.”

Naoko didn’t respond. She simply tightened her grip on the staff and stared blankly at her three former comrades-in-arms.

She sighed silently.

They’d been brainwashed long ago—puppets of the Heaven Demons.

Their blind faith in Orson as some divine envoy was the root of their devotion, but it was built on a cruel misunderstanding.

“…Should we call Orson and ask him to teleport us into Celestial Fortress? If a fight breaks out, you know these UJ maniacs won’t hesitate to drag us down with them.” Charles looked nervously toward Lauren.

It was true the three guilds held power over the UJ warzone. But when it came to craziness? The locals were unmatched.

“They won’t make a move… unless they want to die right here.”

Lauren calmly trimmed her nails, unfazed.

These UJ freaks were dangerous, yes. But someone far more terrifying stood among them—Naoko.

“I’ll say this once. What you saw in the Realm of Virtual Gods was a fabrication. That beautiful world… it feeds on us.”

Naoko’s voice was cold and sharp, cutting through the air like ice. Her words shattered the illusion.

Ishinaka sneered. “Feeds on us? Naoko, your condition is getting worse. I suggest you take a break.”

The room instantly dropped into a deep chill.

Everyone knew Naoko was infamous for her instability. Even if she was the strongest adventurer in the UJ Warzone, her brutality and coldness had long drawn whispers—people feared she’d break down at any moment.

Naoko’s face remained expressionless. “I’m not the one who’s sick. You are.”

Akagi Go narrowed his eyes. “Sure, you’re strong. But do you think you can rule the warzone without us? That’s pure fantasy.”

Kawakita added, “That man might be the Divine Child—but the rest of those Americans? Don’t forget your bloodline, your origin, Naoko.”

Hostility sparked in the eyes of the three guild leaders.

“Damn it… don’t do this,” Charles muttered, on the verge of a panic attack.

Because of warzone restrictions, they hadn’t been linked to the World Tree. If they died here, there’d be no respawn. It’d be permanent.

“Chaos is eternal. The only true gods of Blue Star are the Divine Leader and the Saintess.”

“The Light of Chaos will cleanse all darkness and filth! Don’t forget who holds your pathetic lives in their hands!”

Kawashima Reiko, High Priestess of the Chaos Sect, stood up and spoke. Her faction had long sided with the Bright Galaxy Guild and now supported Lauren’s rule in the UJ zone.

“Shut your mouth, cultist! In the face of divine will, what is your Chaos Sect worth?”

Akagi Go scoffed. To him, Orgod had already fulfilled his role. What he now revered was the supreme will of gods and demons themselves.

“Orgod is just using Chaos dogma to enslave the UJ people. Kill her!”

A high-ranking warrior roared, and more voices joined in.

“Chaos Sect defiles the gods and demons!”

“Orgod’s faith is impure!”

The room grew louder and more aggressive. Many of them had passed the Realm of Virtual Gods trial. They thought they had seen through all of Infinite Dimensions’ lies.

To them, both the Chaos Sect and Naoko were obstacles to the arrival of their so-called gods.

There were fewer than a hundred top-tier adventurers from the three guilds here—but each was an S-class with hidden class specializations. Many of them had bound not one, but two high-grade Soul Seals.

“You damn idiots. You won’t even listen to Lady Naoko?”

Of course, the Bright Galaxy Guild had a firm grip on the UJ zone’s economy and power. Their elite adventurers were just as numerous.

Tensions skyrocketed in the war room. Weapons were drawn, fingers twitched over hotkeys—bloodshed was imminent.

“Enough!”

Naoko’s expression turned icy. She’d run out of patience.

She raised her hand—and with it, the Yata Mirror flared to life.

“Yamata no Orochi! Let the ignorant know true pain!”

Boom.

The war hall collapsed.

The ground trembled violently as a towering beast burst forth—a Vilitian serpent, easily a thousand meters tall, its body cloaked in obsidian-black scales.

Eight heads rose like a hydra from hell, each crimson eye glowing with malevolent intelligence. The sight alone froze everyone in place—including the three guild leaders.

“A… a god-tier summon?! When did she complete the Yata Mirror?!”

Ishinaka’s shock turned him cold in under two seconds.

Everyone stared up in horror.

The monster was level 120. Thirty billion HP.

And it was hungry.

One of the massive snake heads struck forward, instantly devouring several adventurers who’d insulted Orgod earlier.

Blood rained down before Naoko like a crimson curtain.

In that instant, Ishinaka and the others felt their faith crumble.

If the Demon God promised rebirth… this woman, this Empress of Madness, offered only death.

“He must love me. Why else would he be so kind to me?”

Naoko muttered dreamily. Her lips curled into a twisted smile—charming and mad all at once.

“He has a place for me in his heart. I don’t care how many women he has. I want him. That’s enough.”

“She’s gone. Even the best psych team in Maple Nation couldn’t fix her. She’s a full-blown lunatic…”

Charles trembled, muttering under his breath.

Lauren only shrugged. She’d expected this.

If the Demon God myth had half-brainwashed the UJ warzone, then for Naoko, it was love—pure, delusional love—that destroyed her reason.

Her obsession was frightening. Her unrequited devotion, even more so.

Orson had seen her potential as the world’s strongest summoner, so when the fusion event began, he had given her the location of the final Yata Mirror fragment.

He needed her God-tier summon to help hold off the Heaven Demons in this key warzone.

But Naoko had completely misunderstood his intentions. She took his gesture as proof of his affection—US-style romance, in her eyes.

“He’s coming! You guys handle things here. If anyone causes trouble, let Orochi eat them!”

A long-lost private message popped up on Naoko’s screen.

Her cheeks flushed instantly.

Without hesitation, she handed over command of Yamata no Orochi to Lauren and rode her summoned beast toward the Celestial Fortress hovering above the ocean, eyes full of longing.

“You were right,” Lauren sighed. “There’s no saving her. I just hope Orson doesn’t break her heart too badly.”

She had known Naoko long enough to understand her.

Naoko wasn’t truly evil.

She was just… a girl.

A girl who desperately, painfully lacked love.