The Mecha-Kai Species During Dimensional Travel

So it turned out that Xiu Er's appearance now was completely different from how she looked when Takuson had left.

The most notable change was her clothes.

A dress of pure white light, made from high-grade silk and resembling a wedding gown, clung tightly to Xiu Er's smooth, sleek frame. It was composed only of gold and white.

Her hair had also changed from blue-violet to pure white. The only thing that remained the same was her pair of golden eyes.

Coupled with the halo above her veil that remained unobstructed, Xiu Er now looked like a true angel descended from the side of a goddess into the mortal world to save all beings.

Before, Takuson had only imagined that his teacher was an angel of the Goddess.

But now, seeing Xiu Er in this form, Takuson's heart was certain: his teacher was truly an angel who had descended into the mortal world!

Xiu Er naturally noticed that her disciple was staring at her in a daze, his expression as if he were suppressing the excitement in his heart.

"Teacher, you look just like a real angel right now."

"[Answer] Don't mind it. It's just a result of my abilities."

Teacher didn't refute the claim of being an angel!

Takuson thought excitedly.

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

If anyone dared to say otherwise in front of him, Takuson felt he would definitely get into a fight with them.

Xiu Er, meanwhile, noticed that the other party had become even more excited, looking exactly like someone who had just witnessed the faith of a lifetime.

Still, he could roughly guess what his disciple was thinking.

But he didn't explain.

After all, to some extent, the Mecha-Kai species created by the Divine Spirit Fanlou could indeed be considered a kind of "God's Apostle."

And Origami Tobiichi's recognition name was indeed "Angel."

Yes, the reason Xiu Er had manifested this dress was precisely because he had used Origami Tobiichi's power.

Not just a simple "Angel," but the entire Spirit Crystallization!

It was something he had seized from Origami in the future world, analyzed, and successfully replicated.

It could be said that among the arsenal of the Spirit series, the power of the Spirit [Angel] was the most complete, and therefore also the most powerful.

Under the full-power bombardment of [Extinction Angel: Cannon Crown], the Demon named "Chard" naturally couldn't withstand such a fierce attack.

Because he directly used the Spirit Crystallization, Xiu Er was able to fully utilize all the power of [Extinction Angel]. The dress, or rather [Divine Spirit Armor: Number One], was a byproduct, bound and triggered.

The overall style of the armor was completely different from Origami's "wedding dress" style. Xiu Er's piece leaned more toward a "formal gown" feel.

As for this passive clothing transformation, it wasn't a problem. As long as he deactivated the armament, the clothes would revert to their original form.

A flash of dazzling light passed, and Xiu Er's appearance had already returned to its previous state.

And he could feel an emotion called "disappointment" from Takuson.

Since the matter was settled, having dealt with a Demon that wasn't particularly strong but had surprisingly interesting Magic, Xiu Er was overall satisfied.

And Takuson had once again defeated a Monster on his own, completed the commission, and passed the test.

All's well that ends well...

"Teacher, I've packed up."

"Mm."

Takuson equipped his belongings, shook the backpack on his back, and after confirming everything was packed, he followed Xiu Er as they continued heading south.

They were still on the Northern Plains.

And Xiu Er's destination was the central region in the south.

With a human disciple in tow, traveling there on foot would probably take quite a long time.

But time was never something Xiu Er lacked...

At the same time, in another part of this world...

On the cliff edge of a certain high mountain, a golden-haired woman sat cross-legged.

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

The listless expression on her face made it seem as if she had lost all interest in everything in the world.

A pair of long, pointed ears on the sides of her face revealed her identity.

She was a member of the longest-lived race among [Humans]—the Elves.

But as if sensing something, this Elf suddenly looked toward the north.

In that moment, the "boredom" on her face vanished completely.

"This feeling... Hah, interesting."

At that moment, as if she had spotted something of great interest, a smile appeared on the elf's face.

Author's Note on Going Paid

Well, it's going paid now.

But to be honest, I didn't really want to write this note, since I can't think of anything to say.

Still, it's a necessary procedure, so I wrote it anyway.

As a new author, writing to this point, I'm well aware that the first volume of this book has plenty of problems, and many people have pointed them out. Let me apologize once more here.

I often see these readers' critiques and go back to fix errors in the setting and typos. After all, there are some sources I genuinely didn't look up, and thanks to the help of you readers, I've been able to correct mistakes I hadn't noticed.

As for the biggest issue in the first volume—"the plot lacking side stories and daily life segments, making it feel rather dry"—since the first volume is already finished, it's hard to make major revisions. I can only tweak the details. I hope you all understand.

But in the chapters to come, I will definitely improve on this and fill in what's missing.

I also want to thank every reader who has stuck with this book until now without giving up. Thank you very much!

Next up are the paid chapters. I hope you'll continue reading. In the coming days, I'll do my best to find time to release more chapters.

Finally, as usual, if you have doubts or questions, feel free to comment. I'll check in often.

Chapter 18: Fleeting Time

At the entrance of a certain village, a black-haired youth who looked about fifteen years old was surrounded by a crowd of villagers.

"We really can't thank you enough for your help."

An elderly woman tightly gripped the youth's hand, her expression full of gratitude.

"Haha, no need to thank me. It's only right. Besides, you've already given me a reward, haven't you?"

"How could that be enough? You dealt with that monster that had been troubling us for so long. Before this, none of the village's young men dared to set foot in that forest."

As she spoke, the old woman squeezed his hand even harder.

"Why don't you rest here for a while? Have dinner before you go?"

Seeing the warm looks from the villagers behind her, the youth found it hard to refuse their kindness. But he still had more important things to do.

"Sorry, everyone. I really don't have time to stay for a meal. I appreciate the thought, though."

"Is that so? Then we won't hold you up." Realizing he truly had something important to attend to, the old woman wasn't unreasonable.

She had no choice but to let him go.

Still, the youth could clearly see her disappointment.

"If it's not too much trouble, could you give me a little something to snack on along the way?"

Sure enough, at those words, the old woman's eyes brightened considerably.

"Of course, of course."

And so, carrying the villagers' goodwill, the youth set off down the path from the village entrance into the forest, seeing them off with their farewells.

A young girl sat quietly by the roadside, her back against a thick tree. Her floor-length blue-violet hair was tied into a long ponytail with a ribbon, trailing behind her.

On her head was a strange ornament. No one else knew what it was for—only its owner understood its function.

A thick magic guidebook rested on her lap, and the girl turned its pages in silence. The colors of the setting sun spilled through the dense canopy, falling onto the pages, painting a picture of tranquil beauty.

That is, if one ignored the speed at which the girl was flipping through the book.

"Teacher—! I'm back—!"

Unfortunately, a boy's voice rang out abruptly, shattering the stillness.

Xiu Er closed the magic guidebook on her lap. Her amber-like golden eyes lifted slightly, looking toward the source of the sound.

There, a black-haired youth was walking toward her, a battle axe slung over one shoulder and a pack of cookies in his other hand, a grin spread across his face.

If nothing else, that shout had definitely come from this black-haired youth.

"[Reminder] Takuson, there's no need to shout. I always know where you are."

"Haha, just think of it as my habit, Teacher. It feels like something's missing if I don't call out when I get back."

This black-haired youth was the cheap student Xiu Er had picked up a few years ago. Now, grinning widely, he cheerfully explained himself to her.

Time had flown by. The little runt who had once been shorter than Xiu Er had now grown into a lively fifteen-year-old youth, standing at one meter seventy.

This meant Xiu Er now had to look up every time she faced him.

How did she know his exact height? Well, Xiu Er had checked it herself.

She had to admit, the kid had developed well. At this rate, he might even reach one meter eighty.

His muscles had filled out considerably too. The short axe she had originally made to suit his child-sized frame had been replaced by Xiu Er with a long-handled axe.

With his muscular build and the battle axe resting on his shoulder, he radiated the aura of a warrior. Yet his attire was that of a monk, and hanging from his waist was the sacred canon Xiu Er had given him.

In the minds of ordinary people, "monks" generally have nothing to do with muscular men, but Takuson was exactly that kind of muscular monk.

In Xiu Er's database, the only figure with this characteristic was that Spirit Monk.

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

Takuson came before Xiu Er with an expectant look, and due to the height difference, he consciously crouched down.

He looked just like a puppy—if a tail were added to his rear, it would surely be wagging like crazy.

"[Reply] Data received. Congratulations, you passed."

"Awesome!"

Her tone was still as flat as ever, yet Takuson cheered joyfully.

To be honest, Xiu Er really didn't understand seeing him like this.

Seven years ago, that kid was still a low-pressure boy bent on revenge and getting stronger—how had he changed so much?

Well, after seven years of relentless effort, Takuson had trained his own mentality.

Now, he could be a kind big brother (to children) in daily life, and instantly turn into a cold, ruthless butcher in battle.

Over these five years, he had experienced no shortage of battles. Under Xiu Er's guidance, he had fought many enemies of different types and abilities.

This had given him ample combat experience.

In the eyes of outsiders, the fifteen-year-old Takuson was already a qualified Warrior.

But in front of Xiu Er, he was still like that child from back then, as if he had never grown up at all.

"So, Teacher, what do we do next?"

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