The Mecha-Kai Species During Dimensional Travel

"I want to become stronger. I want to avenge everyone."

"..."

Xiu Er did not reply. She looked into his eyes; the inspection results showed that he was indeed not lying—all of this was sincere.

And during Xiu Er's silence, Takuson grew incredibly nervous.

Then he saw a strange glint flash through this older sister's eyes for just an instant.

It was only a moment—he didn't catch it clearly and dismissed it as an illusion.

"[Denial] Rejected."

"Huh?"

"[Proof] You are merely a cub, with no combat power whatsoever. Bringing you along would only make you a burden."

"..."

Xiu Er naturally couldn't actually take this human cub with her, couldn't bring along a burden that offered no help to herself.

So, she chose to refuse.

Watching the dejected Takuson, Xiu Er felt no pity. She simply turned around and continued walking.

Knowing that everything Xiu Er said was the truth, Takuson couldn't refute it. Right now, he truly was a burden to her.

He wanted to become stronger, but she found him lacking in strength. If she wouldn't accept him, he couldn't get stronger—but he needed to be strong to have any power...

Without paying any more attention to the confused boy behind her, Xiu Er just walked on quietly, just as before...

Another night fell.

Xiu Er was on night watch duty as usual.

But tonight, Takuson didn't go to sleep first. Instead, out of curiosity, he asked Xiu Er for that Sacred Canon.

It was the book Xiu Er would always take out and flip through during her breaks these past days.

Takuson didn't know why Xiu Er did that, but it made him curious about the Sacred Canon as well.

Xiu Er said nothing and simply tossed the book to him.

Since Takuson wanted it, she'd let him take a look.

After receiving the Sacred Canon, the latter suddenly recalled the scene of that Monk Grandpa fighting the monsters.

I remember that's what Monk Grandpa did back then...

And then.

Xiu Er's eyes widened as she stared sharply at Takuson.

Takuson, too, stared in surprise at the object in his hands—a golden spear of light.

In Xiu Er's detection, that spear carried the aura of the [Goddess Magic] from that basement back then!

Chapter 12: Trial

A few more days passed—

Xiu Er now stood before the entrance of another Dungeon. But unlike before, this time she had someone by her side.

"O-old, teacher, are you serious?"

Takuson clutched the Sacred Canon tightly in one arm and gripped the Golden Short-Handled Axe in the other, his face full of fear as he looked at the Dungeon ahead, trembling as he asked Xiu Er.

The axe was constructed by Xiu Er for him, its material merely ordinary iron.

Clearly, this child had the talent to be a Monk, yet he chose the path of a Warrior.

What was this supposed to be?

A Battle Cleric?

Xiu Er didn't understand what the kid was thinking, but since it was his choice, she wouldn't interfere with his decision.

"[Affirmation] Actual combat is the best way to improve strength."

Xiu Er herself didn't know how to teach, and the Mecha-Kai species' combat style wasn't something humans could learn, so this was the only method she could think of.

Actual combat.

And this Dungeon was the spot Xiu Er had chosen for his first practical training session.

Yes, in the end, Xiu Er had decided to take Takuson in.

It was only because she discovered that this child actually possessed the Goddess's Blessing, and had the [Qualification] needed to use Goddess Magic.

Then, in order to copy [Goddess Magic], Xiu Er chose to keep him.

"Huh? Me, alone? For real?"

"Mm."

"I'm going to die, aren't I?"

"[Denial] There won't be any life-threatening danger."

"Huh?"

Takuson really hoped his teacher was joking, but judging by the setup, she was completely serious.

What kind of teacher starts their very first practical lesson with a Dungeon!

Could this be the reason his teacher was so strong?

Thinking this far, Takuson could only take a deep breath and calm his mind.

Since the teacher had already said she wouldn't let him die, he might as well trust her judgment.

And seeing the child's worry, Xiu Er chose not to explain.

Takuson stole a glance at Xiu Er's face.

At this moment, Xiu Er had already shed his disguise, revealing the inhuman features on his face.

As for why Takuson was so calm now, it was only because he didn't understand what those features signified.

Watching Takuson's retreating figure as he entered the Dungeon, Xiu Er began to recall the scene from that day...

On the day he decided to take in this child, Xiu Er resolved to conduct one final test.

That was to reveal his true form in front of the other.

Yet, this child didn't show much emotional reaction to that inhuman appearance.

That fact had surprised Xiu Er a little at the time.

"I just need to know that Teacher isn't a demon, and besides, Teacher looks like an Angel right now."

Those were the child's exact words.

Takuson, stared at by those inorganic eyes devoid of any emotional color, still felt a bit uncomfortable, but he didn't mind it.

In fact, his attention was completely drawn to the halo above Xiu Er's head, and he didn't dwell much on the mechanical traces on the latter's face.

Determined to become strong and avenge his homeland, his hatred for demons made him ignore such issues.

To that child, as long as Xiu Er wasn't a demon, that was enough.

Xiu Er found a spot at the Dungeon entrance and sat down, waiting for the child's return.

Time had reached dusk—

"Ugh..."

Takuson, covered in wounds, was carried out of the Space Gate opened by [One-Way Street] on the shoulder of one of Xiu Er's Doppelgangers.

This was his fifteenth failed return.

From the brink of death on his first attempt, Takuson finally understood what the teacher meant by [there won't be any life-threatening danger].

He still remembered his first failure.

He had personally witnessed his chest and abdomen being pierced and sliced open by the Monsters in the Dungeon, even able to see his own internal organs slowly sliding out.

But when his vision went black and he passed out, upon waking again, he found himself lying on the ground outside the Dungeon, with his teacher standing beside him.

This scene had repeated no less than ten times.

He was absolutely certain that each time, he was in a state of certain death, yet he was always saved by the teacher.

This forced him to marvel once again: Teacher, you are so strong!

Truly worthy of being a divine apostle.

Yes, in Takuson's heart, his teacher—Xiu Er—was already an Angel under the Goddess.

As for this, Xiu Er had roughly guessed the child's thoughts, but he didn't care about it, so he didn't explain.

"Cough-ha—!"

His body surged back to life, and Takuson recovered from the brink of death once more.

Don't be fooled by Xiu Er sitting at the entrance the whole time; he had actually sent a Doppelganger to follow behind Takuson.

So he could immediately open a Space Gate and bring back this cheap apprentice.

And after bringing him back, he would instantly use [Zaphkiel: Bullet of Four] to revive him—though Takuson was completely unaware of this.

"I can still go on..."

Takuson's first action upon waking was to continue entering the Dungeon and clear it.

This was the goal set by his teacher—Xiu Er.

Clear the Dungeon within a single day.

He picked up the Sacred Canon and the hand axe, ready to enter again, but this time, Xiu Er stopped him.

"...Teacher...?"

Takuson lowered his head, afraid that Xiu Er would be disappointed in him. Even though he had never seen any change in emotion from his teacher in nearly a month.

That didn't stop him from worrying that he might let Xiu Er down.

"[Reply] The time is up."

The moment the words fell, a massive commotion suddenly erupted from within the Dungeon.

Seconds later, a golden Space Gate opened beside Xiu Er, and a "person" identical to Xiu Er stepped out, holding a book in hand.

"[Report] Mission complete. Target 'Magic Guidebook' has been recovered."

Taking the Magic Guidebook handed over by the Doppelganger, Xiu Er immediately began flipping through it.

She showed no intention of explaining anything to Takuson.

And Takuson had grown accustomed to this way of interacting.

"Sigh—"

Once again, he felt the weight of being a burden. His teacher could have cleared the Instance long ago, yet she had waited until now.

"[Announcement] Your flesh is still too weak. It requires training to reach the baseline of a 'Warrior.'"

Xiu Er was evaluating Takuson using the demon Warrior Zera as a reference.

After all, she had no idea what the minimum requirements for a human Warrior were.