Fairy tale: Little Red Riding Hood's wolf mentor

The scene shifts, and this world is even more dazzling.

In the dance, Polo and Leike see the changing surroundings. Trees sway in the wind, and snowflakes flutter. The scene transitions from nature to life, love, and finally, war...

Within these scenes are countless figures, dancing along.

All the movements appear concise and powerful, like dancers interacting with the environment through various actions, expressing their souls and emotions.

Polo and Leike have noticed by now...

The essence of this ever-changing illusion comes from dance, but these essences all seem to have been corrupted by that red-bearded devil.

Sure enough, the words on the Mirror of Truth change again:

【The Good Times Are Over】

In an instant, all the different scenes melt away. Lush trees turn into standing skeletons, and clear water transforms into scarlet, grotesque blood.

Countless people begin to mutate and wail.

Deep within the chaotic scene, Leike and Polo also see the red-bearded devil standing on a high mountain of blood.

"Dance allows the body to leap through perception, using limbs to express many things: aesthetics, ethics, the world...

But I don't like any of that.

The world only needs to properly welcome the inevitable death.

You must have sensed this beauty in your dance steps, right?"

【Curse Three: Twisted Thoughts】

Then, the devil's illusion, like a shadow of the past, disappears. A tree made of blood diamonds rises from the scarlet vortex before Leike and Polo.

【Third Layer Boundary】

Dance, dance, and more dance.

On the stage, dancing figures flit by one after another. Lost in this space, they remain silent, simply stretching their bodies in the demonic music.

Below the stage, countless shadowy spectators hide in the darkness.

They clap their hands, offering various praises:

"Your dancing skills are truly amazing. Your spins and leaps are outstanding!"

"Your performance is full of emotion. It's truly moving!"

"You're not just a dancer, but a born performing artist. Your expressiveness is so strong!"

"..."

Amidst these words of praise, all the shadows begin to dance even more vigorously. Their movements become increasingly frantic and rapid, as if they can no longer stop!

In the deepest part of the illusion, Polo and Leike also see...

A fleeting image.

It's a little girl wearing red dancing shoes. In front of her is also a shadowy spectator, whose beard, judging from the silhouette, is very long, almost dragging on the ground.

"What beautiful dancing shoes!"

The spectator claps and praises, "You must be perfect dancing in them! You're like a natural-born dancer!"

"Really, sir?"

The little girl asks happily.

"Of course. Dance in them. Dance is the most wonderful thing in the world—don't let anything restrict your dance steps..."

Seeing this scene, Polo's pupils constrict. He immediately realizes something.

But the illusion, as if from the past, vanishes immediately.

A spectator shrouded in shadow now stands beside Leike and Polo. He claps his hands, speaking in an extremely respectful tone:

"The chemistry between the two of you is fantastic. So harmonious, with a beauty akin to telepathy. This is simply the most wonderful performance I've ever seen!"

At the same time, the spectator shrouded in shadow raises his hand, holding a golden goblet.

It's filled with a wine-red liquid, carrying an enticing aroma.

"Please allow me to offer you both a drink, to express my admiration."

The man says again, bringing the goblet closer. The color and aroma of the liquid are irresistibly sweet.

An attraction that transcends physical senses!

But just then, on the surface of the Mirror of Truth, only visible to Leike and Polo, words appear again:

【The Devil's Poison】

【Irresistible】

In an instant, the shadows shrouding all the spectators rapidly recede in Leike and Polo's eyes. Horns sprout from their heads, and their gleaming pupils reveal blood-red horizontal lines.

All the devils have a wisp of blood-red beard.

At the same time, the fragrant liquid inside the goblets reveals its true form.

It is crimson blood, countless blood threads wriggling like threadworms, forming countless arms. They reach out to Leike and Polo, opening and closing their grasp in mid-air—

As if they can't wait to enter their bodies.

The words of these devilish spectators also twist into other words:

"You use dance to fight against the emptiness, and what I give you will be an endless 'fulfillment'.

Look, your desires are already impatient...

Come, drink this cup, and let your flesh no longer be controlled by your weak soul.

Return to the embrace of the wild—

Entrust everything to the dance of the end."

Seeing this scene, Leike and Polo can't help but flash backward. At the same time, Leike reaches for the Star Slayer Sword at her waist and slashes the cup of blood-red liquid to the ground!

The golden goblet shatters, and the blood-red liquid flows and evaporates on the ground.

They emit chaotic and noisy sounds.

More like... the wails of countless creatures.

【Curse Four: Soul Erosion】

In an instant, the scene shifts, and the surrounding music plays a rushing sound of water. The two are walking on a huge, luxurious ship.

The ship is sailing in a rushing river...

【Fourth Layer Boundary】

The river flickers dimly in the two's vision.

At one moment, it is a clear, wide, and beautifully rushing river. At another moment, in the two's special vision, it turns into a scarlet river.

The river flows upward, against the height.

【Do you understand? The four curses shrouding this world?】

As the ship moves forward, the Mirror of Truth asks.

On the pattern, two tiny spots of light flicker, as if staring at Leike and Polo.

"I... I should have sensed a part of it, the distorted part of this world..."

Polo raises his eyes, looking around at the scenery that changes unstably between illusion and reality.

Dance is born between freedom and constraint, conveying aesthetics between the individual and the collective through movement. The dancer's body is also an organ for perceiving and experiencing the world...

But all of this, which should have been beautiful, has been distorted and alienated by the devil's four curses!

【Curse One: Unrestrained】

【Curse Two: Dissemination】

【Curse Three: Twisted Thoughts】

【Curse Four: Soul Erosion】

And this is also the source of the dance plague.

【Very good. Now that you see the truth, you also have the ability to change it】

The Mirror of Truth says, its voice getting smaller and smaller. It slowly approaches Polo and says the last sentence:

【What I can do is watch, is know, but what can truly make a difference—is you】

In an instant, the Mirror of Truth spontaneously flies back to Polo's mental world.

The light on it dissipates, and it becomes silent, with no more special features.

"I... make a difference?"

Under the effect of the Mirror of Truth, Polo sees the four curses shrouding the world and understands a little of the root contained within.

Those scarlet languages ​​intersect, combine, and reverse in his imagination...

The next moment, a page appears from the air—

【Circular Regression: Twelve Dancing Princesses · Endless Dance Banquet】

【Fairy Tale Authority: In the dance, you gradually perceive those... souls drowning in the abyss of mad dance】

【Unsealing Ceremony: Enter this dance banquet with your dance partner】

【Description: The princesses dance and dance tirelessly. It is a dance banquet without end, and so are their partners... The exciting music is devouring their sanity】

Polo looks at the page in front of him and feels something in his heart.

The pictures and words on it fade, twist, and change as if washed away by water.

In the picture, the twelve dancing princesses disappear and turn into a curtain that is halfway down.

Among them, all the dancers hold hands and bow.

【Circular Regression: Twelve Dancing Princesses · Curtain Call Note】

【Every dance should have an end. Eternity is not so beautiful in many cases—now, you are here, and the curtain call note will sound today】

【Fairy Tale Authority: In the notes, dispel the distortion you see and return to the original truth】

【Description: The princesses dance and dance tirelessly. It is a dance banquet without end, and so are their partners... The exciting music is devouring their sanity】

【You have seen all this, you know that dance should not have such magic】