Full-Time Public Enemy

A silhouette floated towards the Storm Platform, leaving behind a trail of light that resembled a rainbow.

As he landed in front of the Storm Platform, everything around him began to change. Palaces, buildings, and corridors started to disassemble into basic materials, which then rapidly combined and smelted together.

Some Professionals had already recognized him and exclaimed, "A Ninth Power Level Alchemist!"

"It's Joe Madus of the Star State!"

In the entire Star Sea, those at the Ninth Power Level were numbered and renowned; the newcomer was recognized as soon as he demonstrated his ability.

By then, the power of the Ninth Power Level had taken control of the entire school. Within the vast campus, he effortlessly transmuted all facilities, extracting the materials he needed and beginning his alchemy.

The Storm Platform before him also fell within the range of his abilities. Its outer materials rapidly began to decompose and transform, leaving the entire structure teetering on the brink of collapse.

「...」

"ROAR!" The last behemoth fell. The Principal stood calmly in the air above the little bamboo building, silently awaiting the arrival of his true, anticipated opponent.

If the enemy dared to scheme for what lies in the river, then these behemoths were merely an appetizer.

However, after waiting a while, the darkness remained silent; no one stepped forward.

The Principal's brows furrowed. He raised his hand, and a force quickly spread, covering the entire nearby mountain range. The truck that had transported the behemoths, along with several black-clad figures who had abandoned it and were fleeing swiftly, were all plucked from the ground by this power.

The black-clad figures were quite strong, all at the Fourth Energy Level, but before the Principal, they were no different from the insects in the mountains.

Yet, aside from them, there were no other Professionals in the entire mountain area.

The Principal's expression changed. With a wave of his hand, he vanished into thin air, rushing towards the school, a heavy sense of unease surging within him.

「...」

The architectural camouflage surrounding the Storm Platform had been completely stripped away, revealing the massive form of Mech Number Three.

Zhong Yuanbei roared, his eyes bloodshot, veins bulging on his neck and forehead, as he successfully activated Mech Number Three.

Bright light burst forth from within the mech. All the Professionals sitting in the four levels of seats trembled as they felt their powers merging through Mech Number Three as a medium. Suddenly, the mech deployed a massive "horn" outwards.

Then, a silent, invisible, special vibration emanated.

This vibration somewhat resembled the abilities of a Resonance Council Celebrity but was undoubtedly more powerful, and it seemed to incorporate other "abilities."

Joe Madus's power collided head-on with this vibration, and his ability to decompose and transmute materials became sluggish.

The speed at which the Ninth Power Level was transmuting the entire school slowed.

Joe Madus let out a soft gasp of surprise, observing Mech Number Three with interest. Through the crude mech, he could still see the people inside, especially Zhong Yuanbei.

"Is this your research project?" he asked, spreading his arms and aiming at Mech Number Three from a distance. "It's not yet complete. It's not enough to contend with me."

Zhong Yuanbei firmly believed in the principle: Strike first to gain the upper hand; hesitate and suffer the consequences. He acted before Joe Madus, gritting his teeth fiercely and pushing Mech Number Three's output to its maximum!

The expressions of the Professionals on the four levels of seats changed drastically as they felt their powers draining away like water from a breached dam.

The school's teachers and students were slightly better off, naturally trusting Zhong Yuanbei. However, the special agents from the Bureau of Mystic Security began to worry they would be completely drained by this bizarre device. Even if they survived this Ninth Power Level ordeal, they feared they might end up crippled for life.

THRRRUMMM...

Mech Number Three began to vibrate violently; the special vibrations emitted by its huge 'horns' instantly intensified threefold.

However, to Zhong Yuanbei's disappointment, this preemptive strike had no effect on Joe Madus whatsoever.

He remained motionless, not even a finger trembling.

Meanwhile, the entire school, aside from Mech Number Three, had already been transmuted by him. Certain materials had gathered, combined, and reacted, forged into an alchemical creation of modest size that nonetheless inspired involuntary fear.

The special vibrations, now tripled in strength, continued. But Joe Madus's hands suddenly twisted, and an enormous, mysterious force instantly shredded these vibrations, directly impacting Mech Number Three.

WHOOSH—

Parts of Mech Number Three's exterior instantaneously transmuted into various precious materials.

Zhong Yuanbei let out a wretched scream, blood spewing from his mouth. The helmet on his head, its lights and wires crackling with electrical sparks, melted in an instant.

On the four levels of seats, almost everyone collapsed simultaneously, many clutching their heads and moaning in agony.

Among them were many school teachers, all at the Sixth and Seventh Energy Levels. Two hundred people had combined their strength, utilizing the advanced Mech Number Three, yet they still couldn't withstand a single, casual strike from a Ninth Power Level individual. Such was the disparity!

Chen Gu rolled from his seat. Although he too was in severe pain, his physical constitution was extremely robust, far superior to the others.

He looked up and saw Zhong Yuanbei also collapsed in his seat, the helmet on his head still sparking and slowly starting to burn.

Chen Gu immediately struggled to his feet, rushed over, forcefully tore off the helmet, and dragged his teacher from the seat.

Just as he pulled Zhong Yuanbei away, the helmet exploded with a BANG!

The blast wave flung them both a good seven or eight meters.

Joe Madus smiled at everyone and raised his hand again. With this deliberately elegant and unhurried gesture, Mech Number Three completely disintegrated, scattering into countless components that floated in mid-air.

"Quite a few good materials," Joe Madus remarked with satisfaction.

Then, with a clench of his hand, the vast number of components vanished, spirited away by him to some unknown location.

Everyone was now directly exposed to Joe Madus's power.

He had just dismantled the entire school. The alchemical creation he had forged now descended from above, aiming directly at the crowd. Despair filled everyone's faces. The Ninth Power Level... ah, it's too strong, utterly un-opposable!

But Chen Gu suddenly pointed behind Joe Madus and exclaimed with a look of pleasant surprise, "Principal!"

Joe Madus scoffed, "Is there any point in playing such childish tricks?"

Chen Gu grinned without responding. Then, a voice declared from behind Joe Madus, "The entire Star State will pay the price for your actions today!"

Surprised, Joe Madus turned to look: the Principal was rapidly approaching from dozens of kilometers away.

Joe Madus glanced at Chen Gu and the others with some regret. "You actually returned three seconds early, Hua Buwu," he remarked. "You've become smarter, eh? Hehehe."

Laughing, his figure began to fade slowly, transmuting his own body to become a part of the world itself, only to reforge himself anew in another location.