Chapter 2939: Chapter 2940: Disguise
Angel didn’t put away the harp he manifested; he planned to enter the City of Hot Gold as a "Bard." Bards collect stories from all around, so going to the City of Hot Gold is reasonable... Of course, this is what Angel thinks.
The only change he made was to his appearance, completely altering Luigi’s face to that of a slightly weathered yet clear-eyed young man.
A bard with a story. This is the persona Angel currently set for himself.
Laplace saw Angel’s change and originally wanted to say that this appearance might be more eye-catching than Luigi’s looks, but upon recalling the situation in the City of Hot Gold, she shook her head and said nothing.
No matter how many stories you have, mirror creatures have no time to pay attention to you.
After making the change, the three of them stepped into the golden dome.
Entering the dome doesn’t mean they’ve reached the City of Hot Gold yet; they still need to pass through the mirror to arrive at their destination.
The sensation of passing through the mirror is much like walking in the mirror corridor, except while they need to walk themselves in the corridor, passing through the mirror feels like falling weightlessly.
Seconds later, bright light once again shone on Angel’s face.
Angel originally thought that inside the dome might be an incredibly flourishing city, or perhaps a slightly dilapidated small town, or like Lassudral, a city full of grotesque and bizarre creatures.
But the reality is entirely different from what he imagined.
A city?
He didn’t see one.
What he saw instead was a huge light source like a small sun and the vast plaza covering several miles below the light source. This clearly artificial plaza had no buildings, only colorful mirror lights.
These mirror lights could just as well be called domes or divided-out spaces, or simply mirrors.
Anyway, the numerous mirror lights sliced up this plaza, making it look desolate. Even the vibrant colors of the mirror lights couldn’t bring more life to the plaza.
"This is the City of Hot Gold?" Angel looked at the scene before him, his expression puzzled.
Laplace nodded: "Yes."
As a city, not a building to be seen, only these standing, reclining, or enveloping mirrors—what kind of city is this?
Perhaps guessing Angel’s thoughts, Laplace’s voice was indifferent: "The ’city’ I speak of is merely a translation adapted to human language; more accurately, it’s a settlement. The concept of a city doesn’t exist among all intelligent races. For example, Chen Chi World is a world of flames; there’s a settlement there humans translated as ’City of Blazing Flames,’ yet you won’t find anything related to your idea of a city there."
Angel was initially stunned, contemplating briefly, then nodded in understanding: "I get it."
His thoughts were mostly self-centered, leading to deep-seated biases.
Different worlds have different landscapes, which is quite normal.
Laplace: "However, within the Mirror Domain, there are also city-like places as you humans say, and quite a few. It’s just that the City of Hot Gold is more inclined towards cultivation sites, hence no need for detailed planning. Each mirror on the plaza houses one or more mirror creatures for whom privacy, cultivation, and force gathering are most important."
Privacy and cultivation, Angel understood; those mirror lights probably act like compartments, concealing one’s cultivation and preventing abilities from leaking.
But what is force gathering? Does the plaza need force gathering?
Laplace: "This plaza is connected to the outer dome. Once you step onto the plaza, all life forms on the plaza must contribute their energy to the outer dome... Of course, only when the dome has cracks."
This is what is known as force gathering. Once you enter the plaza, you’re tied to the same fate; if the dome has cracks, everyone must unite to overcome the difficulty.
"Of course, you can also choose not to enter the plaza; there are plenty of spaces outside the plaza. However, the area outside the plaza has no Aggregation Energy whatsoever; all Aggregation Energy is drawn into the plaza by the dome."
While the area outside the plaza is not without use, a trading area centered around an Ancient Ruins of Tooth Fairy branch exists here.
"There’s a branch of Ancient Ruins of Tooth Fairy here too?" Angel wondered.
Laplace nodded: "Just a small branch; since there’s no Aggregation Energy outside the plaza, no one objects to the Ancient Tooth Fairy setting up a branch here."
Moreover, some mirror creatures, when cultivating to a critical point and urgently needing some Extraordinary Items to assist their efforts, can easily trade in the trading area without the risk of venturing outside.
This is the main reason why the City of Hot Gold allows the Ancient Tooth Fairy to establish a branch here.
"Where do you want to wander?" Laplace looked at Angel: "If you want to go to the plaza, I remember a friend of Glaipnir has a mirror light here; I can take you to check it out. If you’re headed to the trading area, you can just circle to the side."
The "side" Laplace referred to was the shadow behind them.
Previously Angel hadn’t noticed, but now upon turning around, he discovered there were indeed mirror lights in the shadows.
"There’s no entry restriction for the trading area’s mirrors; you can go directly inside," Laplace clarified, indicating that if Angel wanted to head to the trading area, he was free to enter any mirror within it.
Angel thought for a moment: "Both options are fine."
Earlier, Angel casually mentioned coming to see the City of Hot Gold. Now that he’s here, he doesn’t mind taking a closer look.
"Then how about having a look at Glaipnir’s friend’s place before hitting the trading area?" suggested Laplace.
Angel pondered briefly: "Just a look at the plaza will do; no need to specifically visit anyone."
With no preparations, abruptly visiting Glaipnir’s friend seemed very intrusive and impolite to Angel.
Angel didn’t plan on doing such a thing.
However, according to Laplace, the plaza has a very strong force of Aggregation Energy, and Angel wished to experience what it’s like to be immersed in a sea of Aggregation Energy.
Laplace said nothing more, nodded, and then led Angel and the Rabbit Girl into the plaza...
...
Half an hour later, Angel emerged from the plaza with a dazed expression.
Throughout this half hour, Angel continuously sensed the surrounding Aggregation Energy, discovering surprisingly that Aggregation Energy could indeed be absorbed by the Magic Vortex.
Previously, Angel had contact with Aggregation Energy but sensed it only weakly on the outskirts of the Mirror Domain and thus failed to discover its potential for absorption by the Magic Vortex as it did not meet the standards.
Now, after submerging in a sea of Aggregation Energy, led to the astonishing revelation: the Magic Vortex could absorb external Aggregation Energy.
Additionally, after transmutation by the Psychic Model, Aggregation Energy could be converted into pure energy for Angel’s use.
The transmutation rate is extremely low.
In the outside world, by meditating to absorb primordial magic, one can quickly replenish energy, sometimes reaching full capacity in one or two hours.
But here, relying on aggregation energy to transmute magic power requires at least three days, or even longer, to be fully restored.
Although the time required is long, the energy can eventually be restored, which is quite favorable.
This means that wizards can actually be self-sufficient in the Mirror Domain... however, the precondition is being in a place like the Immortal Mirror Sea where aggregation energy is extremely dense.
Having reached this conclusion, Angel somewhat understands why the life forms in the Pan-Dimensional Plane are covetous of wizardry.
This system, which allows energy to be utilized even in other worlds, is the real reason wizardry is so coveted.
However, transmuting aggregation energy into usable energy is not the real reason Angel stood still for half an hour.
The real reason is that Angel is testing the Power of the Nightmare Realm.
He discovered that even aggregation energy can drive the green pattern on his right hand.
It is currently known that the Power of the Nightmare Realm can drive the green pattern, magic power, tainted with the nightmare realm’s aura, can also drive the green pattern, now aggregation energy tainted can drive the green pattern as well.
Does this mean that as long as it’s energy, no matter what kind, from whatever world, once tainted with the nightmare realm’s aura, it can all be used as a medium to drive the green pattern?
Of course, this cannot be conclusively proven yet. But at least Angel has this awareness in his heart, believing that if given the chance to visit other worlds, he might be able to test further.
Though Angel regards this as a research topic, it already has practical value, for instance, at this moment...
Laplace looks at Angel with a filled expression of confusion.
Earlier, when Laplace used Illusion Technique to simulate Luigi’s surrounding aggregation energy aura, they were already astounded. But now, the aggregation energy aura around Angel is even denser, completely concealing Angel’s human scent.
At this instant, any mirror creature seeing Angel would not recognize him as a human, at most believing he is a mirror creature imitating human form.
In fact, even Laplace couldn’t see any flaw in Angel’s disguise.
With Angel’s consent, Laplace gently lifts a strand of ’aggregation energy’ from around Angel.
Rubbing this strand of aggregation energy, Laplace still doesn’t find anything peculiar. After a moment of hesitation, she begins to burn away layers of it, how many layers she burned through is unknown, but finally a little green dot appears, only for those green dots to vanish instantly.
And the aggregation energy in her hand is now completely burned away.
If not for previously learning from Angel that these green dots stem from the nature of his Illusion Technique, Laplace might suspect the aggregation energy itself possesses such traits.
From this minor episode, Angel’s thirty-minute research proved to be of great value.
At least, with his disguise as a mirror creature, no one would suspect.
Moreover, Angel can harness the aggregation energy to activate the green pattern, which grants him some offensive capabilities, even mimicking mirror creatures in battle is now plausible.
As long as Angel doesn’t reveal it himself, no one will detect anything amiss.
Upon seeing this, Laplace remains outwardly calm, though internally she’s greatly stirred. Is Illusion Technique genuinely capable of reaching such heights? Even deceiving energy native to the Mirror Domain like aggregation energy?
Laplace is skeptical.
Perhaps, it’s not the Illusion Technique that’s effective, but those magical green dots.
And those green dots, Laplace vaguely recalls having seen them in the Crystal Origin of Dreams.
Is this Angel’s foundation? Or his trump card?
Laplace cannot be certain, but she is now convinced that befriending Angel is far preferable to being enemies.
For Angel, this is also a newfound discovery.
If this simulation can mimic energy from different worlds, then couldn’t he simulate as transcendent creatures from other worlds too? If that’s feasible, it holds tremendous value.
With that thought, Angel silently elevates the importance of this research project to a higher level.
...
After leaving the plaza, Angel has truly become a "mirror creature."
At this point, heading to the trading zone naturally means no worries of being exposed... of course, even if identified, no one would say anything.
The trading zone lies within shadows, entering it, Angel feels somewhat lively.
Though surrounded by mirror-like lights and shadows, and no buildings are visible, occasionally, life forms dart out from the mirror-like lights and shadows. These comings and goings make the trading zone not so desolate.
It’s worth noting, earlier Angel spent over half an hour in the plaza without seeing anyone emerge from that expansive place.
But now, at least there’s life moving between Doorways.
However, these life forms are not humanoid, all appear in peculiar forms.
For instance, right ahead there’s a red-skinned monocular oddity wearing a wooden fence as clothing, it’s certain that this creature is not part of the Crystal Eye Clan.
Crystal Eyes have exceptionally beautiful monoculars, while this monocular oddity’s monocular harbors an abundance of serrations, far from anything beautiful.
This red-skinned monocular oddity also notices Angel and companions, its monocular glowing brightly for a split second.
Laplace can faintly hear it muttering ’humans!’ under its breath.
The red-skinned monocular oddity seems to discover treasure, rushing towards them, only to halt as it senses something just before reaching the group... its glowing gaze dims instantly.
’Not humans, bears the scent of Temporal Body... Ah, it’s a strong one...’
The red-skinned monocular oddity promptly turns away, darting to the side with almost fleeing speed. With nothing nearby to hide, it plunges straight into a nearby mirror-like light.
Thinking that while approaching the group of ’Temporal Bodies’, it didn’t directly engage, and wisely stepped away, it should avoid being targeted.
Little does it know, three shadows now linger behind it...
