Celestial Era: The Rise of the Full-Time Enhancer

"What now?"

Professor Levent suddenly felt nervous. Is it transforming? Or hopefully, dying?

She needs to rescue Vincent as quickly as possible.

After feeling more pressure, Levent's adrenaline seem to have kicked in as she became faster and managed to find Vincent's body after just a few more seconds…

"Eh?"

To her surprise, Vincent doesn't seem to be heavily injured… He wasn't even that dirty. However, his eyes were closed as if he was concentrating instead of enduring the pain.

"Hey, Vincent… Are you alright?"

She asked after controlling the golem to lift his body.

The robe he was using was actually fluctuating a powerful wave of mana… It seems that it is a Magic Artifact capable of protecting his body…

After several more seconds, Vincent finally opened his eyes.

"Ugh… I was lucky… Thank you for pulling me out, Professor. I'm fine now." Vincent said as he landed on the ground.

"What happened?" Levent asked. She was confused. Did you get hurt or not? Furthermore, do you know that this being is actually dangerous?

"I was too focused on healing my body so I didn't have the time to remove the rubbles. Thank you for helping me… Let's focus on this creature first… She's definitely not a Celestial Being." Vincent said with certainty.

It wasn't just because he has been attacked. After all, he had almost died against a Celestial before and it wouldn't be surprising to get attacked by one.

It is simply because one of his ring magic tools took effect. It must be remembered that Vincent has several talismans on his body and rings on his finger.

They all have different functions. There were those for Physical Protection, Aura and Soul Protection, Invasive Mana Protection, and lastly, Foreign Energy Protection.

The Brilliant Zeal ring has the effect to stop and contain any Foreign Energy that is within his body.

After Vincent was struck, it wasn't Celestial Energy that tried invading his body but something else.

This is now the result of his appraisal of the ring after being struck by an unknown being.

[ Damaged Brilliant Zeal Ring ]

[ Quality: Pseudo-Legendary

Number of Enhancements: 10/10

Durability: 45/290

New Energy Protection: A passive ability that helps the user contain any new forms of energy that invades their body.

Currently Contained Energy: Aether ( Harmful )

Description: A damaged ring that has a very strong effect against unknown types of energy. Every usage will decrease the durability of the ring. It can only be repaired by upgrading it into a Soul-Forged item.

Remarks: The item can not be enhanced. After Losing 5 more durability points, the contained energy will be released. ]

Vincent knows for sure that Celestial Beings do not use this type of Energy. He literally has Pseudo-Celestial Energy so he knows this very well.

Aether.

He wasn't sure what kind of energy it is or what kind of creature uses this energy but since it's harmful, this being must not be allowed to leave this place.

"Hmm? Professor, is this you doing? Why is it squirming like this?" Vincent asked after noticing the unusual action of this armored being.

"I'm not sure. The Formation Mana Art doesn't have this kind of effect. She just started--Ah, look…"

Suddenly the squirming figure stopped and the nanotech armor slowly crumbled from its body and reformed into a cube beside the figure.

It was a figure of a woman but something seems off as her body was showing black veins. It was all over her body and seems quite scary…

She then weakly glances in Vincent and Levent's direction…

She was opening and closing her mouth as if she was trying to say something. Vincent found this weird so he decided to throw a healing pill into her mouth…

Now that he's fully prepared with all his combat items out, he's confident that he won't be ambushed again. Furthermore, he trusts his instinct that something has changed in this being.

After swallowing the pill, the woman seemed to have regained her energy as she was finally able to speak.

She didn't speak of gratitude for the pill or curse them for restraining her.

Instead, she made an unexpected request.

"H-hurry… Kill me… I can't stop it any longer…"

"What?" Professor Levent was shocked whiled Vincent frowned.

'She wanted to be killed? Ahh… No way…' Vincent finally understood what was happening…

"Is it related to the black veins on your body? Can you not control yourself?" He immediately asked. He also noticed the huge change in her tone of voice after all. It was like he was speaking to a completely different person.

The woman's eyes lit up after hearing his words and she nodded with difficulty.

"Is there no other way? How long can you last?"

"I can't… Please, kill me now! You can't stop the Xonid after entering your body… You can only delay it." The woman said with a defeated smile on her face.

She glanced at the cube near her as tears started flowing down her cheeks.

Vincent suddenly felt guilty…

Perhaps this woman was actually recuperating from being mind-controlled? Perhaps she was inside the Cryogenic Sleep Chamber to suppress whatever parasite was inside her body and waiting until someone can cure her?

'Xonid, huh... I'll remember it.'

"Very well…" As soon as Vincent replied to her…

The woman's eyes suddenly turned black before returning to normal again. It only happened for a second but Vincent noticed this detail although blurry.

Her aura completely changed and the black veins also dissipated… She seemed like a normal woman now…

"Hmm… Don't mind what I said just a moment ago. I'm completely fine now. I won't hurt you."

The woman calmly said as she tried sitting up with her weak body.

Vincent sneered as he ignored her words. There was no way he would believe that.

He pounced towards the naked woman as he raised his cane!

The woman instinctively raise her guard but Vincent did not attack her. He simply struck the cube away from the woman…

Bang!

It was thrown away but still within the confines of the formation art.

"Y-you!" She was angered by the loss of that precious item but Vincent wasn't finished yet.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Three consecutive strikes from his cane hit the arms of the woman… She seem to have felt the pain but she only greeted her teeth and didn't utter any words.

Realizing that her disguise can no longer be used. She gritted her teeth and started to fight seriously even within the restriction of the Formation.

At this time, Vincent finally saw what a real Xonid is…