Ex-Machina on Dimensional Travel

"Or should we continue traveling?"

Takuson spoke excitedly, even listing out training plans himself.

Over the years, Takuson had successfully challenged and cleared the Virtual Combat Arena once. He had fought his way through it all the way to the final boss Xiu Er had set back then—"Blood Knight Dracole."

At first, Takuson had failed against Dracole no fewer than a hundred times. Every time, he had to start over, and each time, the monsters grew stronger. It was torture beyond words.

Fortunately, on his 364th attempt, he had finally managed to kill Dracole and clear the Easy Mode of the Virtual Combat Arena.

Yes, you read that right. "Easy Mode."

Xiu Er's database still preserved Takuson's expression when he learned that he had only cleared "Easy Mode," that he still had to challenge "Normal Mode," and that there were also "hard" and "hell" difficulties after that.

That look had been absolutely priceless, so much so that Xiu Er could not resist taking a picture...

Back to the present.

"..."

Xiu Er did not reply. She simply looked at him quietly.

However, Takuson had long since grown used to his teacher's mannerisms. There were generally only two reasons why his teacher did not respond:

First, she could not be bothered to speak.

Second, she was thinking.

The way to tell was simple: just see whether her eyes were glowing.

Just like now. Xiu Er's eyes emitted a faint light as several streams of data passed through them.

"Answer: there is indeed no urgent need to train right now." She stood up and looked down at Takuson, who was crouching before her.

"Let's go."

"Oh."

He did not ask where they were going. Takuson had always been like that over the years.

A few days later—

It was already evening.

This time, Xiu Er did not let Takuson rest. She merely brought him to the entrance of a cave.

Takuson followed behind her, looking puzzled.

"Teacher, is there something inside?"

He stared at the pitch-black cave entrance, unable to understand why his teacher had come here.

But Xiu Er did not answer him. Instead, she asked another question.

"Takuson."

"Hm?"

"Have you heard the story of the Hero?"

The Growing Heart

Legend had it that in the distant past, during the mythological age before the Goddess departed, there was a "Holy Sword" personally bestowed by the Goddess.

The Holy Sword was a gift the Goddess had given to all living beings.

Yet only the Hero could draw that sword. No one else could move it even an inch.

When the world faced a catastrophe that threatened its destruction, the Hero who drew the "Holy Sword" would become the one to save it.

"Oh—this is the first time I've heard that legend."

After listening to Xiu Er's story, Takuson mulled over its contents before simply saying:

I've never heard of it.

"Is that so."

"Correction: then you have heard of it now."

"I suppose that's true. So, does this legend have something to do with your destination, Teacher?"

As if he had guessed something, Takuson glanced at the cave before them again.

It was already dark inside, and with evening upon them, it was so dark that he could not see anything within.

"Don't tell me the 'Holy Sword' you mentioned is inside?"

"Affirmative."

"So it wasn't just a story?!"

Takuson's voice suddenly rose in disbelief.

The moment he learned that there really was a legendary "Holy Sword" inside this cave, excitement surged through him.

Damn, how did Teacher know the Holy Sword was here?

Wait, if it was a Holy Sword bestowed by the Goddess, then it made sense for Teacher, one of the Goddess's Angels, to know about it.

Seeing the admiration in her disciple's eyes deepen once more, Xiu Er, who had no idea what was going on, felt puzzled.

Still, she did not pay much attention to it and simply continued explaining.

"Confirmation: an unidentified special reaction was detected by chance, so I came here. Only after approaching within a certain distance was its true nature identified."

"Speculation: that 'Holy Sword' is currently within this cave."

Takuson did not actually understand many of the terms his teacher used.

But after spending seven years with Xiu Er, he could translate those words into meanings he understood.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go in and take a look."

As he spoke, he tried to pull Xiu Er inside at once.

She did not stop him, allowing him to pull her along. To keep him from straining himself, she kindly floated close to the ground.

"Inquiry: Takuson, do you want to obtain this 'Holy Sword'?"

"Teacher, what kind of question is that?"

As they proceeded, Takuson walked ahead of Xiu Er. Since there was only one path in the cave, there was no need for Xiu Er to guide the way.

A sphere of light summoned by "Illumination Magic" hovered between them, illuminating the surrounding stone walls and the path ahead.

Faced with Xiu Er's question, Takuson turned to look at his teacher.

"I'm a proper man, you know. How could I possibly stay calm about being a Hero with a Holy Sword and saving the world? That's incredibly cool."

The light in his eyes showed that every word he said came from the heart.

That was just how this child was. Over the past few years, his temperament had completely become that of someone his age.

How strange. Was it because he was beside the person he trusted most?

With that question in mind, Xiu Er did not hold it in and asked him directly.

"Question: you were not like this before."

"Huh? What was I like?"

"Answer: you only wanted to train, fight, and grow stronger. You had no interest in anything else. Driven by the hatred in your heart and your determination for revenge, you were once merely an 'Avenger'..."

Xiu Er's golden eyes met Takuson's violet ones.

"Addition: completely different from who you are now."

Not to mention a child's dreams.

Back then, in Xiu Er's eyes, Takuson had only revenge in his heart. He wanted to wipe out every last Demon for his deceased family and friends.

To that end, he had even been willing to injure his body through training, though Xiu Er had stopped him.

She had originally thought that this emotion would control the rest of the child's life.

That had also been another reason she had not wanted to take him with her at the time.

Though she knew people grew up, and childhood thoughts could change with age.

But according to the results Xiu Er had inferred using the data in her database, such "change" should not have happened so quickly.

Based on the child's experiences, there should have been signs of improvement only after he reached his twenties.

Takuson looked into Xiu Er's golden eyes as they met his own. Though they were still as cold as ever, he could sense the confusion contained within them.

Then he suddenly smiled.

"Teacher, you're not 'human,' are you?"

Huh?

No, you unfilial disciple, why are you insulting me?

That sudden declaration of "not human" left Xiu Er stunned.

"Humans are actually the shortest-lived race compared to Demons, Elves, and Dwarves."

I know that, but why did you suddenly bring that up?

"Teacher, you must be someone who has lived for who knows how many years. Naturally, you cannot understand the emotions of short-lived races like us."

No, no. At the very beginning, I was a perfectly ordinary human, so I do understand this kind of thing.

Though she silently complained about every sentence her disciple said, Xiu Er kept the same calm expression on the surface.

"That's true. Back then, I was very immature. I only wanted to grow stronger, avenge my parents and friends, and kill every Demon..."

Apparently recalling something, Takuson actually began reflecting on life.

You were immature, sure, but you're only fifteen now. That sounded like some middle-aged man in his fifties lamenting his life.

No, what is going on?

I only asked one question. How did this turn into this?

"I have never abandoned my resolve to 'kill every Demon,' and I have never forgotten those 'blood debts.'"

As he spoke, Takuson stopped walking, turned around, and faced Xiu Er, who followed behind him.

"At first, I truly was impatient. But later, under your guidance, Teacher, I came to understand that impatience achieved nothing. Rushing for quick success would gain nothing and might even make things worse."

"The me from back then, who treated only 'becoming stronger' and 'revenge' as everything, was simply an idiot."

"It was also thanks to you not abandoning me back then, and continuing to teach me how to fight and train, that I was able to improve so quickly."

Ahaha... Back then, I really had considered abandoning you.

"And if you hadn't saved me back then, I might not have survived that year..." At this point, Takuson pressed his lips together, as though he had recalled something sad.

"It could be said that without you, there would be no me today."

Seeing the conversation head in an increasingly strange direction, Xiu Er did not know what to say for a moment, so she could only maintain her poker face.

However, from her disciple's confession, she received the answer to her earlier question.

So that's it. This child's temperament was completely unlike what a fifteen-year-old should have.

"I understand."

Without caring how the subject had shifted into gratitude, Xiu Er merely nodded in response, remaining exceptionally calm and indifferent.

Takuson had long grown accustomed to his teacher's personality. As expected, nothing could move his teacher.