Ex-Machina on a Dimensional Journey

After saying that, Xiu Er opened a "Space Gate" after confirming there was no one around.

But before leaving, she took out something and tossed it to Takuson.

The object traced an arc through the air before landing precisely in his instinctively outstretched palm.

"Teacher, what is this?"

"It will alert you to the presence of a Demon skilled at hiding. This device can help you identify and point out Demons."

"So that means...?"

Seeing Takuson's eyes light up with excitement, Xiu Er did not answer.

"Do your best."

After giving her final instructions, her figure completely vanished into the golden passage, disappearing from the inn corridor.

Was Xiu Er truly unable to detect enemies who could conceal themselves?

Not necessarily.

Takuson understood what his teacher meant as well.

After seeing his teacher off, Takuson returned to his room, got dressed, and placed the small item Xiu Er had given him into his coat pocket.

Finally, fully prepared, he closed his door and left the inn just as Xiu Er had.

An Unexpected Visitor

Takuson wandered aimlessly through the city streets.

Looking at the device in his hand, he felt somewhat lost.

Five minutes had passed since Xiu Er had left to intercept the Demons.

From within the city, Takuson could clearly feel the ground shaking, while the sky beyond the city walls had been stained by Magic.

That incomparably crimson, barrier-like Magic inexplicably sent a chill through his heart. If someone were trapped within that barrier, something terrible would surely happen.

But in his heart, his teacher was the strongest. Moreover, his teacher was an Angel serving a Goddess.

Rather than worrying about his teacher, he should focus more on any Demons that might have slipped into the city.

The city guards had also been drawn by the changes outside, and the entire city had entered a state of battle readiness.

It seemed they had discovered the Demon attack as well.

Sure enough, these people only believed it after seeing the Demons with their own eyes.

Remembering how the guards had driven him away before, Takuson felt a strange little burst of satisfaction when he compared that with their current anxious expressions.

"Alright, how am I supposed to use this little device?"

Takuson took out the item Xiu Er had given him and began examining the device in his hand...

While Xiu Er and Takuson were each busy with their own matters, Volumen, sheltered at home by her parents, still did not understand what had happened.

What was going on today?

Her friends had all been taken home by their respective adults, and the older guard brothers all looked as though they had urgent matters to attend to.

They kept mentioning something about "Demons."

Seeing the panic on her parents' faces, Volumen still could not understand the situation.

What were Sister Xiu Er and Brother Takuson doing right now?

For some reason, at a time like this, Volumen suddenly thought of Xiu Er and Takuson, whom she had often been around these past few months.

In her heart, Sister Xiu Er was an incredibly powerful Magic User, while Brother Takuson was a warrior with a strong body.

Out of curiosity, Volumen went into the courtyard. After checking that no one else was around, she took out the communicator Xiu Er had given her earlier.

Beep beep beep----

"The number you have called cannot be reached at the moment. Please try again later."

"Huh? What does that mean?"

Was Sister Xiu Er busy right now?

Although she did not understand this situation, which had occurred for the first time, Volumen quickly realized that Sister Xiu Er and Brother Takuson must be busy right now.

I hope you're both safe.

The only thing she could do now was pray for Xiu Er and the others.

Splat--

The sound of flesh being sliced apart by a sharp blade came with spurting blood.

The upper half of a Demon fell to the ground nearby, while its lower half remained standing before Xiu Er.

She kicked away the lower half before her, then swung the Greatsword in a semicircle with a flick of her wrist, smashing it toward the Demon trying to ambush her from behind.

Though the Greatsword looked incredibly heavy, her slender arm sent it flying with ease.

Every Demon engaged in battle began taking Xiu Er's threat seriously.

Bang--!

"What!?"

The Greatsword shattered the ambusher's weapon, ignored the armor covering its body, and cut straight into its flesh without resistance.

Magic of all kinds flew in from afar, striking Xiu Er's position with precision. The fierce attacks and reactions between different spells stirred up a cloud of dust, greatly obstructing everyone's view.

"Did we get her?"

"Not sure. Stay alert at all times."

"That creature isn't human, is it?"

"Who cares? We just need to kill whatever blocks our path."

As his kin discussed among themselves, Tarda, the strongest Magic User in the group, stared fixedly at that crimson sky.

He wanted to analyze the barrier, yet from the start of the battle until now, he had made no progress whatsoever.

That instantly made him understand the gap in strength between himself and his opponent.

Within this barrier, Tarda discovered that the Magic Power in his body was rapidly draining away, as though something were siphoning it out of him.

Thus, he concluded that this was all the barrier's effect.

We can't drag out the fight against this enemy, or we'll all be drained to death here!

Yet as he thought, pain suddenly erupted through his body, and a spray of blood filled his vision.

"When...?!"

His chest had been pierced through. The Magic User could not imagine how his opponent had evaded his detection, bypassed the Warriors at the front, and reached his back.

Pushing aside the headless corpse before her, Xiu Er set her sights on the remaining Magic Users.

Within the dust cloud, the remaining Demons could only barely see a streak of golden light darting through the mist.

Every time it passed a Demon, it took another Demon's life.

Like a grim reaper harvesting lives from within the shadows.

Blood immediately splattered everywhere as limbs and bodies continuously emerged from the mist before turning to ash.

Even Demons, with their nature, would still feel an emotion known as "fear" when facing an enemy they could not defeat.

A few minutes later, Xiu Er had eliminated every Demon present.

Dispelling the effects of the City of Devouring Time, Xiu Er stood where she was and sorted through the items she had collected during the battle.

After organizing everything, she looked toward the distant city. In her eyes, everything atop the city walls was plainly visible.

There stood a black-haired youth, gripping a bloodstained Battle Axe tightly with both hands.

Before him was a Demon completely clad in armor, holding a Greatsword as long as Takuson was tall.

All around them were guards injured by the Demon's attacks and hovering on the brink of danger. Against such a powerful Demon, the guards' strength was simply insufficient.

Fortunately, whether due to its personality or some other reason, the Demon had not immediately ended their lives, allowing Takuson to arrive in time.

Bang----!!

The force transmitted through the axe handle made Takuson's arms tremble involuntarily, and his legs nearly buckled.

The floor beneath his feet shattered under the immense force, spreading outward from Takuson like a spiderweb.

"Ugh, what incredible strength."

Feeling the difference in power between them, Takuson had not experienced this sensation in a long time.

The last time had been when he faced Zera in the Virtual Combat Arena.

He had abundant experience dealing with opponents like this.

Thus, Takuson decided on his next response almost instantly.

And Xiu Er recorded the entire battle between him and this Demon.

Because of the City of Devouring Time's effect, every guard in the city had been alerted, which happened to let them discover the Demon that had just infiltrated the city.

Never mind how that Demon, which looked entirely like a brute, possessed stealth Magic.

For Demons, such things were common.

But none of that could draw Xiu Er's attention now.

Because an unexpected figure had appeared before her.

Xiu Er quietly gazed at the short golden figure before her, her heart unable to calm for a long time.

Long golden hair cascaded casually down the figure's back, while the long, pointed ears beside her cheeks revealed her race.

For some reason, she wore no shoes, yet her bare feet upon the soil bore not the slightest trace of dirt.

"I never expected that taking a leisurely stroll on a whim would lead me to something so interesting."

The golden-haired elf stared at Xiu Er, an eerie smile appearing on her face.

Am I Fighting Sariel? Seriously?

Not a moment was spent mourning the dead Demons.

The next to arrive was Sariel, the Founder of human Magic Users, who had mastered nearly every Magic from the Age of Gods to the present day!

Seeing the person she had originally sought upon arriving in this world, Xiu Er was inevitably somewhat surprised, though not overly so. She would have met her sooner or later; this merely meant their meeting had come earlier than expected.

The golden-haired elf before her was the strongest Magic User in this world, but her personality was the type to say, "Gentlemen, I love war."

After all, Magic was the only thing she cared about. In her view, only constant war could accelerate the advancement of Magic, and once Magic advanced, the world would create even more bizarre and unprecedented new spells. That was what she most wished to see.

Do not let her small stature fool you. She was an Elf who had lived since the age of myth, and the Magic Power and knowledge contained within her were astonishing.

"What, don't you have anything to say to me? Or perhaps..."

Sariel's eyes stared intently into Xiu Er's amber eyes, eyes unlike any she had ever seen on a living creature.

"You can't speak at all?"

"Objection. This unit is equipped with language functions."