With its greenish gummy color and limp form, had it not been moving, it would have been mistaken for some disgusting viscous fluid.
Popota had seen pictures of Transforming Soft-bodied Insects, and this blob looked nothing like them.
This blob instead resembled the initial appearance of a pliant worm's mother at birth. Surely they hadn't hatched a mother, had they? But that wouldn't be right; pliant worms aren't social creatures. Besides, this blob was at least twenty times smaller than a mother pliant worm at birth.
“Is it another failure?” Disappointment flashed in Popota's eyes as he turned to look at Hua Que.
There was a contemplative look in Hua Que's eyes: “Something's strange.”
Angel: “What's strange?”
“The form it's taking now isn't what I saw in the vision.” What Hua Que referred to as 'the vision' she 'saw' was actually the premonition she had observed.
Considering for a moment, Angel said, “It's not necessarily a failure. The Transforming Soft-bodied Insect is named 'Transforming' precisely because it implies that it can transform at will. The images of Transforming Soft-bodied Insects you've seen might just be what they choose to present to humans, which might not reflect their true form.”
Popota: “Are you suggesting that this blob of snot is the true form of the Transforming Soft-bodied Insect?”
Angel: “I don't know. Maybe it's just emulating the shape of the mother worm, but we can perform a stress test.”
Sanders was alone in the study, his hair as meticulously combed as ever. Sitting before a fireplace teeming with flame spirits, he was quietly reading a hardcover book.
When Angel arrived, this was the scene he encountered.
“These past few days you've been at the testing ground, Kimberly has been mentioning you daily,” Sanders said, lifting his head to look at Angel.
“What about?” Angel sat down opposite Sanders at his gesture.
“I heard that Kimberly has been pestered by inquiries sent through Black Castle's correspondents from various magazines, all asking about your promotion. It's driven her to the edge, so much that she's completely cut off contact with the outside world,” explained Sanders.
Kimberly wasn't one to meddle in others' affairs, and now with Isabella in isolation and recuperation, she had no choice but to shoulder the responsibilities of Black Castle. The castle was already in dire need of reconstruction, which was enough of a hassle for her; the addition of these repetitive inquiries made it understandable for her to complain.
“Did she say anything?”
“No. She said she would not overstep her bounds. Anyway, once you show up, things will settle down,” Sanders said.
Angel nodded. As long as he could determine the nature of the pliant worm, he should, barring any unexpected circumstances, accept the task from Headmistress Muse. Once he made an appearance at the New Star Competition, many questions would naturally be resolved.
“What brings you to me today? Ready to share your findings from the testing ground?” Sanders put down the book, a playful smile tugging at his lips. “Or perhaps you're here for a fight, to showcase the residual effects of your spell invention?”
Angel gave a wry smile, “My Gate of Void is only really useful in combat for spatial displacement, which you forced me to demonstrate before… I'm still puzzled by the new characteristic, quite befuddled, really. But, I can almost certainly say it's a kind of supportive functional Spell Technique.”
Sanders scrutinized Angel carefully, certain he wasn't lying: “The Gate of Void, did you name it?”
“Yes.” Angel looked at Sanders, waiting for his evaluation.
Sanders pondered for a moment: “It seems that fate is still fair.”
Angel: “????”
“While you have great talent, your aesthetic sense for urban planning and ability to name things could be… questioned,” said Sanders.
Angel: “I'm just pragmatic.”
With a mischievously curved mouth, Sanders said, “I haven't forgotten your nickname from the Sky Tower days. Need me to spread the word for you?”
“Let's not,” Angel coughed twice, cleared his throat, and forcibly steered the conversation back: “I came to see Mentor because of the pliant worm. The new pliant worm has hatched, but we are still unable to determine its identity.”