Ex-Machina in Dimensional Travel

It turned out that Xiu Er now looked completely different from how she had appeared before Takuson left.

Most notably, it was her clothing.

A pure white Dress of Light, made entirely of gold and white high-grade silk and resembling a wedding gown, clung tightly to Xiu Er's smooth, flawless mechanical body.

Her hair had changed from blue-violet to immaculate white. The only thing unchanged was her pair of golden eyes.

Combined with the halo unobscured above her veil, Xiu Er now looked like a true Angel who had descended from the Goddess's side to save all living beings.

Previously, Takuson had merely imagined that his teacher was the Angel of the Goddess.

But after seeing Xiu Er in this form, Takuson had become certain that his teacher truly was an Angel descended upon the world!

Xiu Er naturally noticed that her disciple was actually staring at her in a daze, his expression seeming to suppress the excitement in his heart.

"Teacher, you look like a real Angel right now."

"Answer: There is no need to mind it. It is the result of my abilities."

Teacher hadn't denied being called an Angel!

Takuson thought excitedly.

Xiu Er now held an even stronger, more unshakable position in his heart than before, reaching its very peak.

If anyone dared deny it in front of him, Takuson felt certain that he would argue with them.

Meanwhile, Xiu Er noticed that he had somehow become even more excited. He looked exactly like someone who had just seen the faith of his entire life.

Still, she could more or less guess what her disciple was thinking.

But she did not explain.

After all, to a certain extent, the Ex-Machina created by the Old Deus Fanlou could indeed be considered "apostles of God" in some sense.

And Origami Tobiichi's codename was indeed "Angel."

Yes, the reason Xiu Er had transformed into this dress was precisely because she had used Origami Tobiichi's power.

Not merely that of an "Angel," but the entire Spirit Crystallization!

She had seized it from Origami in the future world, analyzed it, and successfully replicated it.

It could be said that among the armaments of the Spirit series, the power of the Spirit Angel was the most complete, and thus the most powerful.

Under the full-power bombardment of Metatron: Artelif, the Demon named "Chard" naturally could not withstand such a ferocious attack.

Because she had used the Spirit Crystallization directly, Xiu Er could fully wield all the power of Metatron. That dress—or rather, Divine Spirit Armor: Number One—was a byproduct, triggered automatically alongside it.

The overall style of the Astral Dress was completely different from Origami's "wedding gown." Xiu Er's outfit felt more like formal attire.

As for the passive clothing transformation, it was not an issue. As long as she dismissed the armament, her clothing would revert to normal.

A dazzling flash of light passed by, and Xiu Er had already returned to her original appearance.

She also sensed an emotion called "disappointment" from Takuson.

Now that everything was over, and she had dealt with a Demon that was not particularly strong but possessed unexpectedly interesting Magic, Xiu Er was generally quite satisfied.

Takuson had also once again defeated a Monster alone, completed the commission, and passed the test.

A cause for celebration...

"Teacher, I've packed everything."

"Mm."

Takuson equipped his belongings, shook the backpack on his back, and after making sure everything had been packed away, continued south with Xiu Er.

They were still on the Northern Plains.

Xiu Er's destination was the central region of the south.

With a human disciple in tow, walking there would probably take quite a long time.

But time had never been something Xiu Er lacked...

Meanwhile, elsewhere in this world...

At the edge of a cliff atop a high mountain, a blonde woman sat cross-legged.

Her flowing golden hair was casually draped behind her. The breeze brushed past her cheeks, lifting countless strands of gold.

The listless expression on her face made her seem entirely uninterested in everything in the world.

A pair of long, pointed ears grew from the sides of her head, revealing her identity.

She was an elf, the longest-lived race among humans.

But as if sensing something, the elf suddenly looked north.

In that instant, the boredom on her face vanished without a trace.

"This feeling... Heh, interesting."

As though she had discovered something that greatly interested her, a smile appeared on the elf's face...

Thoughts on Going Premium

Well, it's gone premium.

But honestly, I didn't really want to write this message, because I couldn't think of anything to say.

Still, since it's a necessary process, I wrote it anyway.

As a new author, having written this far, I know that the first volume of this book really had many problems. Quite a few people have pointed them out, so let me apologize again here.

I often see readers pointing these things out, and I go back to revise places with setting errors and typos. After all, there was information I genuinely failed to look up, and thanks to everyone's help, I was able to correct mistakes I hadn't noticed.

As for the biggest problem in the first volume—"the plot lacked side stories and daily-life content, making it feel rather dry"—the first volume has already been completed, so it would be difficult to make major revisions. I can only adjust the details, and I hope everyone understands.

But in the chapters to come, I will definitely improve on this and fill in those missing parts.

And thank you to every reader who has kept reading and not given up on this book. Thank you so much!

The paid chapters begin next. I hope everyone will continue reading. Over the next few days, I will do my best to make time and update more often.

Lastly, as usual, feel free to comment if you have any questions or concerns. I will check in often.

Time That Passed in an Instant

At the entrance of a certain village, a black-haired boy who looked to be around fifteen was surrounded by a crowd of villagers.

"Thank you so much for your help."

An elderly woman tightly held the boy's hand, looking deeply grateful.

"Haha, no need to thank me. It was only right, and didn't you already give me money as payment?"

"How could that be enough? You dealt with the Monster that had troubled us for so long. Before this, the young people in the village didn't even dare enter that forest."

As she spoke, the elderly woman gripped his hand even tighter.

"How about resting here and having dinner before you leave?"

Seeing the enthusiastic looks in the villagers' eyes behind her, the boy truly found it difficult to refuse their kindness. But he had more important things to do.

"Sorry, everyone, but I really don't have time to stay for dinner. I appreciate your kindness."

"Is that so? Then we wouldn't want to delay your business." Understanding that he truly had something important to do and could not stay, the elderly woman was not unreasonable.

She could only let him leave.

Still, the boy had clearly noticed her disappointment.

"If it isn't too much trouble, just give me a few more things I can snack on along the way."

Sure enough, the elderly woman's eyes brightened even more when she heard that.

"Of course, of course."

And so, carrying the villagers' goodwill, the boy entered the forest along the small path at the village entrance amid their farewells.

A girl sat quietly by the roadside, leaning against a thick tree. Her blue-violet hair, which reached the ground, was tied into a long ponytail that fell behind her back.

There was a strange ornament on her head. No one would know what it was for; only its owner understood its function.

A thick Magic Guidebook rested on her lap. The girl quietly flipped through it as the colors of the setting sun filtered through the dense trees and fell upon the pages, creating a picture of tranquil years.

If one ignored the speed at which she turned the pages.

"Teacher! I'm back!"

Unfortunately, a boy's voice suddenly rang out, shattering the tranquility.

Xiu Er closed the Magic Guidebook on her lap and slightly raised her amber-like golden eyes toward the source of the voice.

A black-haired boy was walking over with a Battle Axe slung over his shoulder and a bag of Cookies in one hand, grinning broadly.

If nothing unexpected happened, that shout had come from this black-haired boy.

"Reminder, Takuson: You do not need to shout. I am always aware of your whereabouts."

"Haha, Teacher, just treat it as a habit. It always feels like something is missing if I don't greet you when I come back."

This black-haired boy was the student Xiu Er had picked up several years ago. He grinned as he happily explained himself to Xiu Er.

Time passed in an instant. The little child who had once been shorter than Xiu Er had now grown into a spirited fifteen-year-old boy, reaching a height of one meter seventy.

This meant Xiu Er had no choice but to look up at him every time.

As for how she knew his exact height, naturally, Xiu Er had measured it herself.

No denying it, this kid's body had developed remarkably well. At this rate, he might even reach one meter eighty.

His muscles had filled out considerably as well, and the short axe that had been made to suit his childhood build had been replaced by Xiu Er with a long-handled axe.

With his muscular body and Battle Axe resting on his shoulder, he exuded the air of a warrior. Yet he wore a monk's outfit, and at his waist hung the Sacred Canon Xiu Er had given him.

In ordinary people's minds, a "monk" was generally not associated with a muscular brute. Yet Takuson was exactly that sort of muscular monk.

Among the records in Xiu Er's database, only that Spirit Monk shared such traits.

"Teacher, how did I do on this test?"

Takuson approached Xiu Er expectantly. Due to their height difference, he consciously crouched down.

He looked just like a puppy. If he had a tail behind him, it would surely have been wagging furiously.

"Answer: Data received. Congratulations, you passed."

"Yes!"

Her tone was as flat as ever, but Takuson cheered happily.

Honestly, Xiu Er found it very difficult to understand why he acted this way.

Seven years ago, the child had been a gloomy boy focused solely on revenge and becoming stronger. How had he changed so much now?

That was because after seven years of continuous effort, Takuson had trained his own mindset into shape.

Now, in everyday life, he could be a kind older brother to children, while in battle, he would immediately become a cold and cruel butcher.

Over these five years, he had experienced quite a few battles. Under Xiu Er's guidance, he had fought many enemies of different races and abilities.

This gave him ample combat experience.

In outsiders' eyes, fifteen-year-old Takuson was already a qualified warrior.

But before Xiu Er, he was still like that child from back then, as though he had never grown up at all.

"So, Teacher, what are we doing next?"

"Training? Hunting Monsters and Demons? Or going to that Battle Arena to spar with all sorts of powerful Demons?"