Chapter 50

Star asked the arriving robot, only to learn that Clara had gone to Rivet Town again for repair materials. Helpless, they had no choice but to return to Rivet Town to find someone.

But shortly after arriving at Rivet Town, they discovered Clara cornered by a huge monster, her accompanying robot already shattered, while the monster had charged a fireball in its hand, ready to fire!

"Not good!"

Bronya gasped in shock, instinctively raising her rifle, but as her finger touched the trigger, a figure moved faster than her bullet!

Xier's light posture was like a blue butterfly dancing gracefully, as she elegantly danced upon the rift monster's body.

The sickle in her hand whirred like the wind, leaving several blurred afterimages in the air in an instant. It seemed as if time had been frozen by her movement… When the butterfly began to flap its wings, the dense slash marks on the monster's body also appeared.

This girl is actually this strong……

Mist Hashira Tokitou Muichiro was observing Xier's every move through the light curtain; unfortunately, the light curtain had no playback function, otherwise he truly wanted to repeatedly watch the technique Xier just used to slay the monster over a hundred times.

When previously dealing with the Wanderers, Muichiro only thought this girl was somewhat strong. After all, defeating a few Wanderers isn't much of an achievement worth boasting about—even if the Hashira didn't act, their adopted son could easily do that.

To instantly kill a monster of this size in such a short time—subjectively, it was just a blink, and the battle was already over.

People from another world have no breathing techniques, yet they can push their bodily potential to this extent…… Muichiro only found it unbelievable.

Mist Breathing Seventh Form: Obscure, it disrupts opponents by means of agile movements and large differences in speed; when this technique is mastered to the extreme, opponents often experience the illusion of seeing doubles.

He had used this move against the Jade Pot before, but even after awakening his markings, he could only leave one or two afterimages to confuse the Jade Pot.

Originally, he also succeeded in beheading the Jade Pot using this move.

He wasn't mistaken; at the moment Xier made her move, seven or eight afterimages simultaneously appeared around the monster, and her strikes were almost simultaneous—leaving the monster no chance to retaliate even in death.

"I really wish she could join the Demon Slayer Corps……" Muichiro lay flat on the floor, the indigo depths of his pupils reflecting Xier's blue skirt fluttering like butterfly wings, staring blankly.

I really want to know how she did that?

... If only you could teach me.

"After being rescued by several people, Clara felt deeply grateful and said she would tell Mr. Shiwaluo about this. She hoped that through this incident, she could ease the conflict between Earth Fire and Shiwaluo."

"Speaking of Shiwaluo, we were planning to see him—could you take us to meet him?" Xier said.

Clara appeared troubled: "…Mr. Shiwaluo usually doesn't like communicating with others, especially the members of Earth Fire……"

"I certainly know that, but he has avoided talks too many times; this time we insist on seeing him."

"But Mr. Shiwaluo doesn't believe in human emotions; he only trusts the results of calculations."

Clara insisted on this matter; no matter how Star and Bronya persuaded her, she refused to bring everyone to see Shiwaluo, fearing it would spark a large-scale conflict and cause injuries.

Finally, seeing that reason wouldn't work, Clara made up an excuse and ran away.

Seeing Clara's attitude, the others were also troubled; after a brief discussion, they decided they must first convince Clara, otherwise, even if they bypassed that door, Shiwaluo would identify them as intruders, making conflict inevitable.

"Clara repeatedly mentioned Shiwaluo's calculation results……" Dan Heng pondered slightly and said: "'Only relying on the people of the lower districts cannot prevent the disaster from occurring'—that was her original words, and the breakthrough point lies here."

"Relying solely on Earth Fire's power is indeed insufficient to resolve the Star Core crisis, but his calculations have fallen behind, and the new 【variable】 has not yet been entered into the formula……"

Star suddenly realized: "We are the new 【variable】!"

What a smart kid—she found the key to solving the problem in an instant.

In Snezhnaya, Aleiqinuo glanced with slight disdain at the vacant last seat of the Executive Officer: "Just look at someone who only knows how to solve problems with force……"

"Potential is also one of the reasons the Empress took a liking to him."

From deep within the palace came a slow footsteps, accompanied by a man's cold, low voice. Dottore's mask slowly emerged from the darkness, his snow‑white ceremonial robe shining holy and pure in the moonlight.

Executive Officer Second Seat—Doctor.

Aleiqinuo instinctively furrowed her brows.

If she had not become an Executive Officer, she might have shown some respect to this Second Seat, but after learning of his "cooperation" with the former attendant, she now only wants to personally send him to meet the previous attendant.

"How about it, are you also interested in Dan Heng?" Aleiqinuo coldly stared at the masked man across from her, "It's a pity—Snezhnaya doesn't have a child like him."

"Strong, smart, calm… he is indeed an excellent specimen; even looking across all of Teyvat, such material is extremely rare. But compared to him, I am more interested in Star."

When Star was mentioned, Dottore's originally low tone gradually rose to excited enthusiasm; he took a deep breath, slightly lifted his head, and when Star's image appeared on the light curtain… the gaze beneath the Doctor's mask was like admiring a flawless work of art.

"A body capable of containing a Star Core… fantastic… too bad… too bad she isn't in Teyvat."

"You seem very much like that Black Tower Lady." His intoxicated expression made Aleqi Nuo think of the doll lady from the space station, but in her view, Black Tower's personality is much better than that of her colleague.

"No no no, although we are both seeking answers, that Black Tower Lady is clearly lacking."

Dotore stretched out his hand and lightly tapped the black mask on his face, the clear sound echoing in the empty room.

"In my view, she hasn't completely abandoned humanity—on the path of seeking answers, having humanity only makes the experiment helpless."

Upon hearing that, Aleqi Nuo merely sneered: "But have you ever thought that you might die because of this someday?"

"Hehe, of course." Dotore calmly turned around, "As a scholar, I will consider the possibility of such an outcome as 'death'."

"But... I am more curious about what kind of experiment would yield such a result."