Endless Debt Chapter 729 - 211 Constant Metal

"Romanticism... Romanticism..."

Bologue stood in the elevator, the floors descending continuously. He was muttering to himself as if pondering some unresolved enigma.

The conversation with Canary didn’t last long; Bologue just wanted to confirm her situation with Bai Ou. However, during the subsequent chat, Canary presented Bologue with a riddle.

A riddle that even Bologue couldn’t figure out.

Is it to embrace the pleasures of the present, diminishing all complexity and narrativity, forgetting oneself, and losing oneself in pure ecstasy, or like Belphegor, tirelessly collecting all the poems to usher in a grand finale?

Bologue couldn’t discern which was better; both had undeniable reasons to uphold their ideals. But one thing was certain: whether it was the Zongge Orchestra or the Unfettered Poetry Society, Bologue believed that all their thoughts stemmed from a fear of the end.

No matter what they did, they couldn’t change this singular ending.

Bologue couldn’t help but ask, "Does eternity truly exist in this world?"

Faced with an inevitable end, the Zongge Orchestra and the Unfettered Poetry Society gave different answers, representing the attitude of the devils behind them. Bologue felt this question had no truly correct answer, only a suitable one.

Initially, Bologue somewhat agreed with Belphegor’s answer, but after talking with Canary, he felt Belphegor’s answer wasn’t satisfying.

He needed another answer, one that might unravel the poets’ confusion, but Bologue had yet to find that answer.

Bologue chose not to dwell on the matter. Ultimately, he belonged to the Order Bureau; as long as it didn’t affect him, Bologue didn’t care about the conflicts between the Zongge Orchestra and the Unfettered Poetry Society.

Returning to the core chamber, Geoffrey was slightly surprised to see Bologue back so quickly. After a brief greeting, Bologue approached Lebius and asked in a low voice, "Any progress?"

Lebius shook his head, eyes fixed on Gold’s figure lying on the bed.

Aimou and Duwa hovered around Gold; the research target had shifted from waking Gold to the sealed black iron box. Nolen had brought in some equipment, turning the area into a makeshift laboratory. Strange light flickered as arcs danced on the black metal’s surface.

"I have a hypothesis."

Suddenly, Duwa looked up at the others, "I want to conduct a test."

Lebius asked, "What test?"

Duwa beckoned everyone, "All of you, come over and apply force to the metal in turns to see if we can affect its nature."

"You said..."

Geoffrey’s words were cut short by Duwa’s stern interruption. When dealing with his field of expertise, Duwa’s attitude was unexpectedly firm, "Hurry up!"

"Alright, alright."

Geoffrey sighed and shook his head, too lazy to argue with Duwa in his fervor. He pressed his hand against the metal’s surface, unleashing his own ether, trying to influence the metal.

High concentrations of ether were a potent energy. The canyin glow from the ether repeatedly rubbed against the metal’s surface. With Geoffrey’s negative power user’s ether intensity, ordinary metal would shatter easily; however, this metal exhibited extraordinary inertness, unaffected in the slightest.

Geoffrey withdrew his hand and shook his head, admitting his failure.

Duwa then turned to Lebius, who cooperatively pressed his hand against the metal surface as well.

Bearing various Tai Chi Techniques, Lebius’s mastery of ether far surpassed Geoffrey’s. Azure light encroached upon the metal surface, and upon close observation, the metal seemed to bear some repulsive force, maintaining an imperceptible gap from the light.

The metal rejected all ether.

"Looks like I can’t do it either."

Lebius released his hand, admitting his failure didn’t mean much to him. Next, all eyes turned to Bologue, signaling him to give it a try.

"Can he do it?"

Duwa was somewhat doubtful; with both negative power users stymied by the metal, what could Bologue, a Prayer Believer, accomplish?

Lebius, not wanting to explain too much to Duwa, simply said, "He’s fine."

Bologue pressed his hand onto the metal’s surface. The touch felt cold, like touching a piece of hard ice. Unlike Lebius and Geoffrey, his influence on the metal was limited to the release of ether, but Bologue’s Secret Energy could directly act on the metal.

Secret Energy·Cauldron Flame.

Blue flames ignited between his fingers, instantly engulfing the metal. Just as before, a vacuum region existed between the flame and the metal’s surface. Bologue could clearly sense a repulsive force emanating from the metal, rejecting his ether.

Bologue gradually clenched the metal, gripping it firmly, while the flames gnawed at the metal bit by bit, bringing it under his control.

Duwa’s eyes lit up gradually, but in the next moment, a tremendous repulsive force burst forth, shattering Bologue’s ether, extinguishing the burning flames, sending air swirling violently.

"Failed again," Duwa steadied the toppled equipment, "but at least there was a reaction."

"Wait a moment."

Bologue didn’t want to give up and aimed to try again. He took out the Touch of Erosion, a delicate metal hand armor, and put it on, believing he could use its power to overcome the metal’s repulsion and seize control.

Seeing Bologue about to attempt once more, Duwa grew tense; this item was Duwa’s treasure.

Lebius intervened, clearing obstacles for Bologue, "Let him try."

Bologue again pressed his hand against the metal’s surface, unleashing Secret Energy. The blue flames enveloped the metal once more, initiating a new round of command control.

Blue trails of light covered Bologue’s arm, and even the metal hand armor faintly glowed. Initially, Duwa thought it was another ether assault, but soon realized, with the aid of the Touch of Erosion, the efficiency of the Cauldron Flame’s invasion had increased significantly.

Like a haphazard swarm of biting serpents, they gnawed at the metal’s repulsion force. What surprised Duwa further was Bologue’s Alchemy Matrix was extending. It disconnected from Bologue’s body, using the flames as a medium to attempt to cover the metal, turning it into part of Bologue.

This astonishing discovery left Duwa briefly at a loss, pondering whether to contemplate the metal’s peculiarity or Bologue’s unique Secret Energy. Just as he was torn, the two opposing ethers broke through the repulsion, briefly touching the metal’s surface, and a small section was draped with the Alchemy Matrix.

As Bologue attempted to command, a more formidable repulsive force erupted, shattering Bologue’s Secret Energy once again. This time, the repulsion consolidated into an invisible impact, sending Bologue flying backward, though Lebius caught him in time, stabilizing his form.

"Still doesn’t work. What on earth is this thing?"

Bologue was startled by this bizarre object, and from the known intelligence, it seemed to repel all ether, reminiscent of an Origin School tactic.

Duwa isn’t focusing on the metal anymore but looks at Bologue with confusion, "What’s with your Secret Energy?"

Lebius rudely interrupts Duwa, "This has nothing to do with the matter at hand, Duwa."

Duwa is silent for a moment, his eyes fixed on Bologue, replaying the strange power Bologue had just displayed in his mind.

"I think I know what this thing is now."

Duwa redirects his gaze, lightly tapping the metal, "Tell them to stop establishing the Curved Path Gate. This thing is impassable."

Bologue curiously asks, "What is it?"

"If my guess is correct, this is one of King Solomon’s great creations."

Duwa’s voice lowered, as if revealing a dreadful secret, "And it was created to protect the primordial object..."

After a few seconds of silence, Duwa breaks it, "In the legacy of King Solomon obtained by the Order of Truth, there is a description of it. King Solomon named it ’Constant Metal.’