Chapter 65: The Trial of Yellowing

Under the virtual image's strike, Shen Lin knelt in pain, and only after the image dissipated did he rise, gritting his teeth.

He gave Tiancheng Guang a cold glance, clicked his tongue, and turned away without uttering a word.

If this were under Chi Ma Ling Wang's "banner," even a loss wouldn't necessarily mean obeying the winner's terms—but this was a duel certified by a teacher and fellow students; even he couldn't interfere.

Though their Fusion Army had a hidden "secret unit," on the academy island, they were still vastly inferior to the main student body.

Now, he could only return to face punishment.

"Won?"

"Then doesn't that mean Tiancheng Guang's club is the new 【Fusion Department】?"

"No no no, Tiancheng Guang *is* the 【Fusion Department】!"

"Hey, hey hey, hey hey hey, I've always been a member of the Fusion Department!"

"To be fair, Senior Shen Lin lost badly."

"But he chose to attack directly with monsters instead of fusion—even though there was an Ancient Mechanical Hound on the field!"

"Exactly! Fusion means always believing in fusion. If the leader himself doesn't believe in fusion, why should anyone listen to him?"

Tiancheng Guang gently combed his hair with his hand.

It felt refreshingly light.

"Congratulations, Ah Guang!" San Ze came over to congratulate Tiancheng Guang.

"Hahaha, isn't this cosmic? You're back?"

"Hey, I'm San Ze Sanze Dadi…" San Ze sighed, shook his head, then smiled and nodded at him, "Yeah…"

Losing to the Spirits changed his mindset. Luckily, Tiancheng and the others helped him—otherwise, he might have remained trapped in that confusion and decline.

"So we're calling it the Fusion Department from now on?" Judai chimed in, "Aw, too bad—I still think Hero Fusion Department or Neo Fusion Department sounds better."

"Nah, Electronic Flow Fusion Department is the best."

"Combine—"

"Wan Wan Zhangmu, forget about your idea!"

Tiancheng Guang laughed.

At the same time, Marufuji Ryo finally understood why Kai Sa had told him to watch this duel closely.

He recalled when he was still an elementary school student.

Back then, Kai Sa gave him a card called Power Fusion—a Fusion Magic card exclusive to Machine-type monsters that doubled a Fusion Monster's attack. He wanted to defeat the bully who tormented him, and when he drew this card, he thought he'd finally win—until Marufuji Ryo arrived and forced him to surrender.

At that moment, Marufuji Ryo revealed the opponent's face-down card: if he'd used Power Fusion, the opponent's trap card would have negated his attack, leaving him unable to strike and taking damage equal to the monster's attack points—guaranteeing his loss.

After that, Kai Sa forbade him from using Power Fusion again, ordering him to "seal" it away.

During this time, he and Judai defeated the Maze Brothers and felt they might earn their brother's approval—but still, he couldn't bring himself to enter the Dimension.

Apparently, he hadn't even noticed Tiancheng's "trap."

He lowered his head.

Then, suddenly, he remembered what Tiancheng Guang had said earlier.

Join the 【Fusion Department】—oh, wait, they couldn't call it that anymore.

But Senior Shen Lin fell for it… hmm, but if it were Tiancheng, he probably made himself the "trap," right? Hmm… eh…

It's not impossible…

He tilted his head, deep in thought.

"Hey, Ryo, what are you thinking about!" Judai slung an arm around Ryo's head, "Come on, come on—Ah Guang's treating, Kai Sa's coming too, let's all go together and celebrate!"

"Hey, hey hey—"

Saying that, he dragged Marufuji Ryo along.

In the shadows.

Professor Dadesi gently pushed up his glasses.

He had secretly watched the entire duel.

Over the past period, he had observed every detail of Tiancheng Guang and the other students' actions—even when Tiancheng Guang or Judai left this dimension and went to Citianye City, "people" collected information for him.

Now, in his view, the students' growth had become quite impressive.

Judai, once solitary, now had reliable friends; Wan Wan Zhangmu, though still aloof, had grown closer to Judai due to their shared "enemy," Tiancheng Guang; Marufuji Ryo, after finding Tenjo Chui Xue, seemed to have slightly liberated himself, beginning to mentor lower-grade students and even speaking to his younger brother.

Judai's fusion talent, guided by Tiancheng Guang, had evolved faster than Professor Dadesi had anticipated.

Then.

What of Tiancheng?

He looked at Tiancheng Guang.

This student closest to him, this "disciple of Professor Chronos" in the public eye—was his pursuit of fusion and exploration of alchemy merely lip service, or had he truly accepted it?

"Ultimate fusion… heheh, really now." He unconsciously pushed up his glasses again, "If I were still alive and encountered a student like this, how wonderful it would be?"

He pulled a thick book from his chest and flipped through it gently, his smile growing more pronounced.

The four stages of alchemy.

Blackening symbolizes the burning and purification of raw materials; whitening refines the blackened substance, representing the purified state; yellowing adds ingredients to deeply fuse the energies of gold and silver, further elevating them; reddening finally synthesizes a dense, brittle, easily meltable purplish-red substance, symbolizing the achievement of the ultimate goal.

Is Tiancheng Guang now at the whitening stage—or is he undergoing yellowing?

"It seems time to find and arrange a stronger opponent for them." He stroked his chin, weighing the intensity.

After much thought, he decided to let it unfold naturally.

He lightly pinched the book—and it opened on its own, without wind, spinning wildly until it stopped at a page glowing with golden light: "I entrust this to you, old friend."

"Interesting. A new-generation alchemist? Fine—I accept this commission."

A sound like a bell, a chime, metal clashing, traveled through the book into his ears.

He could almost see a spirit, entirely golden, adorned in gold and silver, covered in jewels, resting one cheek on his hand, watching the interdimensional communication with keen interest.

"Perfect—I happen to have someone here who very much wants to visit your dimension."

"Then all the better. I'll create a teleportation channel immediately."

Professor Dadesi nodded lightly and closed the book.

Tiancheng, do you even have the right to inherit this book, symbol of truth?

Let me witness it with my own eyes.

Nightfall.

Tiancheng Guang, who had no particular cravings, had rarely spent money—but tonight, he treated his friends to a meal.

Beyond that, he had accepted numerous first-year students who had applied to join the Fusion Department, even a few scattered second- and third-year seniors. He didn't mind at all and cheerfully shared with them—considering it a welcome party!

For these ordinary Fusion Department students, where else could they play cards? Where else could they summon Ancient Gear Giant? If so, wouldn't it be better to join a purer, friendlier Fusion Department where everyone played cards in harmony and joy?

Besides—

*They* are the Fusion Department. Don't you dare try to piggyback on Chi Ma's nameless club!

The dark clouds gradually dispersed, as if the clouds in their hearts had lifted too; tonight's moon was unusually large and bright, illuminating the entire academy.

At that moment, on the very top of the academy's highest building, a figure stood lightly atop the spire, arms crossed.

His entire body shimmered in golden light, radiant as the sun under the moon; his red cloak billowed in the wind, and he gazed down with supreme arrogance, far away—as if he could see Tiancheng Guang and the others.

Then, as dark clouds once again obscured the moon and the welcome party ended, and Judai dragged Tiancheng Guang to play one more game, the figure vanished—meanwhile—

Tiancheng Guang and Judai suddenly realized they had walked to the side of a cluster of towering skyscrapers.

"Seven Stars!?" Judai shouted instinctively.

"Whoa!" Feathered Man flew out in shock.

"Wow…" Wan Rong the Alchemist also appeared beside Tiancheng Guang, eyes sparkling with gold.

Together, they stared ahead—two golden figures had been waiting for them.

Elemental Hero Gold Captain, God of the Golden Heresy!

"C, Captain!" Feathered Man trembled.

Please recommend, please monthly tickets~





(End of Chapter)