Chapter 1118: Shattered Expectations
Chapter 1118: Shattered Expectations
Seraphina and Whisperwing had already left for the research centre midway through Isadora's introduction.
Isadora nodded. "Thank you," she replied.
"Alright, make yourself at home," Celeste said, handing her over to Selene and Shani. She
then turned and approached Orion, who was being led out of the room by Fifi, followed by the rest of her sisters.
Three hours Later,
After ensuring Isadora settled in, Orion swiftly arrived at the Research Centre.
Before him stood Seraphina, with Whisperwing perched on her right shoulder, legs crossed. "How's the progress with 'her' going?" Orion asked, his tone serious.
"There isn't any," Seraphina responded, shaking her head. "Even with some of the equipment Ilse lent us, we've barely made a dent. The Primordial barrier may have sealed her completely, but it didn't make her body any easier to break into." She exhaled tiredly.
Orion frowned. He had hoped to see some progress on their mysterious, formidable enemy before he left, but that wouldn't happen.
"We could ask goddess Ilse or Aurora to help us break through, but that would mean pausing their training and ensuring they follow every step we outline so no mistakes are made during the delicate procedure. I doubt goddess Ilse would be interested in helping, and I don't want to trouble Aurora at a time like this," Seraphina continued, her expression downcast.
While goddess Ilse might be curious enough to help, she could only stay awake for a short time and would likely grow frustrated with being told what to do. Even if they completed the procedure, Seraphina worried Ilse might hold a grudge.
Seraphina did not want to deal with that issue. As for Aurora, while she would undoubtedly assist with any problems, it would disrupt her training, which wasn't ideal during such a critical time.
After listening to Seraphina's concerns, Orion nodded and replied, "I see. Goddess Ilse is out of the question, so that leaves only Aurora."
"Yes. It would be ideal if we had two Auroras-then she could focus on her training while also aiding us," Seraphina said, crossing her arms and rubbing her elbow absently.
The frustration of being unable to uncover the origin of their unknown enemy, who was as powerful as a god and now within her grasp, was clearly starting to wear on her.
Whisperwing patted her shoulder gently to comfort her.
Orion raised an eyebrow. "What if she could be in two places at once?" he asked.
Startled, both Seraphina and Whisperwing focused their attention on him.
Seeing their reactions, Orion continued, "Aurora can be in multiple places at once-she is a goddess, after all."
In fact, Orion suspected some other techniques or arts could replicate this effect, likely ranking above legendary.
Hearing Orion's suggestion, Seraphina and Whisperwing were filled with excitement. "Let's do it, then! Once we're ready, you can help us bring her from the Golden Palace, and I'll prepare everything for Aurora's arrival," Seraphina said eagerly.
Orion nodded in agreement. "Have you uncovered anything from the Divine Apostles?" he asked.
Seraphina quickly regained her composure and nodded. "We've made about two per cent progress in understanding the Prismerion Divine Apostles' constitution and how the spirit beasts dramatically enhance their overall capabilities," she explained carefully.
"Now that the Four-Eared Elves have settled into their new homes and are beginning to teach the Prismerion Divine Apostles, we hope to learn more by observing the process firsthand. We'll also attempt to see if we can replicate it with or without the Divine Apostle crest." "Will that even be possible?" Orion asked, raising a brow in surprise at her words.
"If we succeed, it will," Seraphina nodded. "Based on the rank of energy an individual harnesses, not only do they gain its characteristics, but their entire constitution is reconstructed to grow stronger, allowing them to harness even more of that energy. The bigger the container, the more liquid it can hold; the sturdier the container, the better it can contain."
"This explains the vast difference between individuals harnessing various energy ranks and why those controlling higher-ranked energy have no difficulty managing lower ranks. Of course, the line blurs for races like ours, utilising magikal energy like mine. Some clans harness lesser-known ranks, like the radiant energy used by the Luminaris clan, which becomes a part of their lineage."
Seraphina pursed her lips with a smile. Though magikal energy was one of the highest-ranked energies, it was only considered so because it formed the base of other energies. Its rank was somewhat unstable compared to the higher energy ranks.
Only after the influx of many races within their territory was she able to conduct this research and conclude. Still, she saw no reason to complain, as it was one of the reasons the Prismerion race had unlocked so many unknown potentials and survived until now.
This is also why she awakened her ability as a healer and became fascinated with her race's limitless possibilities.
Clearly, Goddess Ilse had taken a gamble and won.
Seraphina continued, "So, if we follow this logic, a god's blood is used to create a Divine Apostle to form a deep connection with them and refine their bodies, making them sturdier containers capable of accumulating Divine energy. As for the divine skills they inherit from a god likely have something to do with the Divine Apostle crest, which resonates throughout their entire being, turning these skills into natural abilities."
"Think of it as a seed of knowledge that grows based on how it is nurtured. This allows Divine Apostles to draw inspiration on utilising divine skills or even creating new ones, which can then be transmitted back to the god, further empowering them and their abilities. If the Divine Apostles comprehend the laws, it will benefit the god even more."
Seraphina added with a small sigh, "I managed to gather this information by asking Selene, Flintor, and others independently, goddess Ilse. As it turns out, I might have overstepped by bombarding Goddess Ilse with numerous questions. She's purposely avoiding me, so I've had to find other means." She cleared her throat, explaining why she couldn't accompany Orion to the Golden Palace to retrieve Aurora.
Orion nodded in understanding. He could recall Ilse's proud expression when he informed her that most of the significant changes within Paradise stemmed from the research centre, spearheaded by Seraphina.
Ilse quickly returned to the Golden Palace after one visit to the centre, after Seraphina had asked her numerous questions. Apparently, Seraphina's frequent visits for her experiments had caused Ilse to kick her out.
Still, he couldn't help but admit that Seraphina's idea was brilliant. That way, they wouldn't have to worry about being subservient to a divine being.
Seraphina sighed and continued, "The main issue is that, for now, we still need the blood of a divine being as a primary ingredient, and we have no idea how the Prismerion Divine Apostle crest can refine a spirit beast. So until we figure that out, it's just a hopeful dream." "This doesn't even include the warriors and the gods' chosens, as divine and Vylkr energy are incompatible-unless someone has a unique constitution like Aurora's. While Aurora might be able to help us find something useful, I wouldn't get my hopes up since I sense that this is beyond what I can figure out on my own."
Diluting the Vylkr energy had already caused Seraphina countless headaches in the past, and any real progress seemed dependent on Aurora's aid.
Orion nodded, then asked, "How about the tree nymphs? Have you made any progress?"
"Well," Seraphina said with a downcast expression, "I've performed the Vylkr energy compatibility test on every tree nymph, and unfortunately, they all have a minimal compatibility score. None of the tree nymphs are qualified to utilise Vylkr energy. Exposing them to it would lead to certain death."
Seraphina sighed in frustration. She had been struggling to help the tree nymphs grow stronger, as they were responsible for sustaining Paradise's ever-growing population, especially those below.
If they remained weak while Paradise's forces expanded, they would be pushed to exhaustion, unable to keep up, which would have dire repercussions for the entire realm. They had been enlisted in the Vylkr energy compatibility test to prevent this, but the results were
disheartening.
The VECT―Vylkr Energy Compatibility Test-was divided into four scores: the Vylkr Energy
Absorption Rate score, which indicates how much Vylkr energy one can absorb from Vylkr vines or vials. They utilised this score to create suitable Vylkr Fusion Armlets and Devourer Gear for the warriors and enhanced Gear Weaver or Devourer Bracelets for numerous gods' chosens, ensuring they were not harmed by the equipment and benefited more.
This also made overloading difficult unless they wanted to commit suicide. The Storage Capacity score indicates the maximum amount of Vylkr energy stored within an individual. Only the warriors from the village have successfully passed this test. The Manipulation Precision score assesses an individual's ability to control and use Vylkr energy for specific purposes, like any other energy. No one has passed this test except Aurora.