Chapter 285: Gotta Cut Another Boring Thing. jpg

"Color" refers to the realm perceived by the "eye root" among the six sense bases—the colors and forms visible to the eye—transforming with the formless, impermanent "void" under the realm power sealed by Yagumo Shiki in her spell cards.

Invisible vibrations layered and spread like ripples across distances, revealing invisible objects one by one; within Jia Ji's fully opened senses, besides countless scents and cacophonous sounds from dozens of kilometers around, a certain "shadow" was gradually taking shape in his mind.

It was an enormous shadow, slowly materializing from empty air at altitudes beyond ordinary human reach.

"Found you, Carol!"

Straight-line distance: roughly 350 kilometers—that direction is… Lunduncheng!

Jia Ji aimed upward at an angle, pushed off with his legs, and vanished in an instant; then came a thunderous explosion as an invisible shockwave mixed with gale-force winds tilted the iron tower—weighing over ten thousand tons—slightly, its four massive angular support pillars no longer level.

Had he not deliberately dispersed the force across the tower's structure, this historic landmark would have suffered irreparable damage in an instant.

With a roar like thunder, he shot forward in a straight line, breaking through the atmosphere with a terrifying howl that shattered and warped the air like a mountain collapsing.

Only now did panicked tourists faintly glimpse what looked like a tiny star streaking upward against the sky, shooting off into the distance!

Whoosh!

The howling wind rushed past his ears as the grand phantom of the city drew ever closer.

The city of Tifurijie on the ground is known as the "Impregnable City"; legend says that after Marshal Gilles de Rais retired from battle, Tifurijie Castle became the center of his alchemical research, demon-summoning rituals, and child-murdering crimes.

Carol's floating city, however, was the pinnacle of alchemical achievement, its outer walls inscribed with layered arrays that made it utterly indestructible even at its current size.

Its location in another dimension guaranteed absolute security, rendering nearly all human-made weapons incapable of inflicting damage.

He reached out with both arms—his hands passed straight through the illusory walls.

"Good thing I asked Shiki for help."

Jia Ji shook his head, abandoned the violent idea of tearing open space with his bare hands, and pulled another spell card from his pocket.

——"Realm Power," activate!

In the blink of an eye, his figure vanished from the high altitude.

……

"Gariye, Leya, Fala… three autonomous dolls corresponding to earth, fire, water, and wind are complete; only Mika remains…"

On the solitary throne, a young girl wearing a pointed hat and an elaborate, ornate robe sat in quiet thought, her face showing no trace of extraneous emotion.

The vast Tifurijie City held no guards or traps beyond the three already-made autonomous dolls and its master; the entire main city was utterly silent, nothing audible.

Aside from occasional trips to exchange knowledge with other alchemists, Carol had existed alone here for centuries.

The palace's tones leaned toward dark red; a few candles barely illuminated the walls, the girl's two long braids trailing to her feet, and her delicate, moonlike face—everything else lay shrouded in shadow.

If someone intended to assassinate here, they wouldn't even need stealth—just stepping out from the labyrinthine corridors would count as success.

Though never used, three autonomous dolls modeled after archangels guarded the palace's exterior, each with combat power rivaling an entire army.

For centuries, this place had been as lifeless as death—until suddenly, like a sheet of paper cut open, a black fissure appeared without sound.

The next instant, light began to seep from the crack.

"Hey, zaime?"

And a teasing male voice echoed from within.

A flicker of surprise vanished instantly; Carol's brow furrowed slightly as she gazed at the towering, ghostlike figure before her.

Spatial teleportation? But she felt no trace of alchemical fluctuation—how did he do it?

Though her mind brimmed with questions, Carol remained calm, fixing her gaze on the intruder to assess him.

His face, composed of rigid, angular lines, bore a wolfish gaze—powerful, yet unsettling.

"I am Carol Mars Daim, intruder, state your name."

She proclaimed her title proudly—having lived for centuries, pride in one's name was only natural.

"Alright, Carol-chan, I'm Jia Ji."

He flashed a row of white teeth, offering a sincere, earnest smile.

"I'm here to ask you to save the world."

The intellectual girl, hearing the intruder add a strange suffix to her name and now demanding she abandon her own mission, grew furious; she demanded without mercy—

"Do you wish to die?"

Jia Ji sensed unmistakable killing intent, yet he couldn't help blurting out:

"Holy shit, are you Hachimai Yagito?!"

Too harsh—staring like that.

Even if she didn't know who Hachimai Yagito was, Carol could tell he was mocking her.

Furious! Furious! Furious!!

For the first time in centuries, the alchemist Carol had been easily enraged by a human.

The golden-haired girl rose from her throne; her large witch's hat was lifted by a violent gust, her split skirt fluttering midair to reveal slender, bare legs, her eyes turning cold.

With a flick of her right hand, several diamond-like gems scattered across the floor.

"Alca-noise, disintegrate him!"

Dozens of monsters, their surfaces gleaming with strange luster, materialized and surrounded the intruder.

Alca-noise—Noise created by the Bavarian Light Society using a formula preserved for thousands of years; equivalent to an upgraded common soldier.

Unlike ordinary Noise, they were equipped with specialized disintegration organs, greatly enhanced to break down nearly everything (including Symphogear).

"Uh… is it too late to apologize now?"

Though his current life grade might no longer qualify him as human, Jia Ji had no desire to test whether his body would turn to carbon ash or be disintegrated.

Watching Carol remain unmoved, Jia Ji scratched his cheek and finally sighed.

"Though telling you the truth might hurt… these trash? No matter how many come, they're no match for me~"

Gotta cut another boring thing. jpg

(End of Chapter)