Chapter 157 Brief Entanglement
"Are you certain this will help me grow stronger?" Vincent inquired. He was being led by Erika through a vast modern hall housed within one of Evangeline\'s properties, situated in California. The hall was remarkably large, spanning the size of one basketball stadium, and was cleverly concealed underground beneath a sugar cane farm in California\'s Imperial Valley.
"Absolutely. While you may not have established your own domain yet, your energy already surpasses that of an ordinary Rank S. If you can learn to fully integrate your internal energy with the ice element, your chances of survival will greatly improve," Erika explained confidently.
"Could I possibly stand a chance against that formidable fire demon if I were to fully master my energy?" he pondered aloud, his perception of power levels in this world was affected by the overwhelming video he had just saw. The realization of his own inadequacy washed over him, making him acutely aware of his own weakness in comparison.
Erika paused for a moment, her expression growing solemn.
"That guy, Diablo, is not someone you can defeat without a domain," she replied, shaking her head.
"Then I should prioritize creating my domain first," he insisted.
"As much as I would like to assist you with that, domain creation relies on luck and instinct. It\'s not something you can train for," she responded.
"But why am I struggling to create it then? I need to have one in order to have a chance against that demon!" he asked, feeling frustrated. Despite his efforts to tap into that instinct, he remained clueless.
Erika let out a sigh, understanding why Vincent was having difficulty creating his domain. It wasn\'t because he lacked power, but rather because he possessed too much of it.
Domain creation was like molding a block of metal into a sharp sword, allowing one\'s abilities to be honed and utilized more efficiently. Normally, a supernatural being would naturally develop a domain as they grew stronger, as their energy would be enough to reshape their core and create their own domain.
Unfortunately, Vincent\'s core had been artificially tempered to handle his limitless potential. However, because it was too durable, the energy of a normal Rank S wasn\'t sufficient to even budge it.
To put it into perspective, Vincent\'s core was even more resilient than Erika\'s, who was already a Rank SS. It meant that he would need to reach at least the energy level of Rank SSS just to make a slight impact on his core. The magnitude of power required was daunting, and it highlighted the immense challenge that lay ahead for him.
"Let\'s not dwell on it too much," Erika redirected the conversation. Evangeline had informed them that Diablo would not pose an immediate threat as numerous organizations were already delaying his progress.
They needed to shift their focus towards making him stronger so they could acquire the third fragment. Unlike the first and second fragments, the third one was located inside a volcano, requiring an improvement in his utilization of ice energy.
While he had easily mastered the use of basic energy before, thanks to his subconscious recollection of past battle memories, the Ice element presented a different challenge. It was a power born from Erika\'s own condensed energy infused into the fragment. Therefore, mastering it would prove much more difficult, as his body had no inherent understanding of how to control it.
"First, let me observe how you utilize your raw energy," Erika commanded.
"Okay " he nodded and began to concentrate on condensing his basic energy in his hands. Almost immediately, his hands started to emit a blue glow, but this time it carried a chilling, icy energy.
"I said just the raw energy," Erika raised an eyebrow in disapproval.
Vincent was taken aback. Was this the same Erika who had always clung to him? She was like a different person now. But he knew that she was just being strict for his sake.
"I\'m sorry, but it seems that the ice element has already mixed with my normal energy," he explained.
Erika let out a sigh and shook her head. She then infused her hand with raw energy, causing it to emit a pure blue glow without any trace of any element.
"You said something?" she scolded him.
"I..." Vincent was left speechless.
"Think of your raw energy as your base energy. It is pure and devoid of any elemental influence. You must will it to remain untainted by the ice element. This will indirectly enhance your control," she began explaining, trying to make the concept more vivid as she guided him through the basics of separating his energies.
"Every energy in this world stems from a raw power called Life Energy. Life energy is inherently devoid of any specific element; it is pure and very flexible ," She further explained. "Because of its purity, it can easily merge with any type of element, much like water merging with almost anything you mixed on it."
"So, even though you already possess the ice element within your body, it doesn\'t mean that all your Life Energy has been directly converted into ice energy. What is actually happening is that you\'re currently unable to control your ice energy, causing it to automatically merge with your Life Energy."
"Typically, it\'s acceptable for supernaturals like me to not bother separating Life Energy and Elemental Energy, as I only possess one element," Erika explained. "However, in your case, with your ability to absorb any kind of energy, it becomes crucial for you to be able to separate them properly."
"Wait... What would happen if I accidentally mix incompatible energies?" Vincent asked, his background in physics allowing him to grasp the potential issue with absorbing different types of energies. He had a guess, but the answer was too unsettling.
"Your body would explode." Erika responded bluntly.
Vincent was momentarily stunned, realizing that his guess had been correct. The consequences of mixing incompatible energies were indeed as dire as he had feared.
"Don\'t worry, I will assist you in gaining control. Now, try it again. This time, focus on creating a spinning ball of energy in your hands," she ordered.
"Like in the anime?" he questioned , as he remembered a classic show he used to watch.
"What is an anime?" Erika raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Oh, never mind," he chuckled, remembering that Erika had been sealed in ice for countless years and was unfamiliar with anime culture references.
With that, he resumed his training, determined to improve his power.
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Newyork.
"Please, I\'m begging you, please let me go," the woman cried desperately, her face marred by countless blows.
But the assailant merely sneered, his hand connecting with her face once more, sending her crashing to the ground.
BAM!
"I gave you everything, and you have the audacity to betray me!" The man\'s voice seethed with anger. He was a revered Alpha, commanding respect from many, and yet one of his women had dared to sleep with another man in his absence.
"I\'m sorry, I promise I won\'t do it again," the woman pleaded, her voice trembling. However, the man had reached his boiling point. He hadn\'t been able to spend time with her due to his demanding role in his Mafia organization, but someone had tipped him off about her affair with another man when he busy with his businesses in Italy.
"You and your excuses again!" He berated her, and continued to unleash his fury upon her until she finally succumbed to unconsciousness.
BAM!
BAM!
BAM!
BAM!
"Damn whore ! This isn\'t the first time you\'ve cheat on me. Consider yourself lucky that you and your family are still alive!" he sneered, his anger boiling over as he stormed out of the bedroom. Among the many women in his company, Vanessa held a special place in his heart. However, it was a cruel twist of fate that she had never reciprocated his love, instead making a habit of betraying him time and time again.
BOOOOM!
"Damn it!" he yelled in a fit of anger, his fist colliding with the wall before him, causing it to crack under the force.
"Why couldn\'t you love me? Why couldn\'t you just be satisfied with me?" he spoke with frustration, his voice filled with frustration and pain.
Suddenly he heard a footstep behind him.
"Boss Alonzo, we\'ve obtained the name of the man she had... an entanglement with," a man in a suit spoke cautiously, his words carefully chosen to avoid offending his leader.
Alonzo opened the file and his eyes fell upon the names
"Vincent Turner, Nathan Wayne? " He gritted his teeth as he angrily read through the contents, absorbing every detail.
"She betrayed me for this mediocre guy?" he sneered, his disbelief evident in his voice.
As he looked at the picture of Vincent prior to his transformation into a werewolf, he failed to recognize him as the same person he had once met in California.
"Did you find out where he\'s staying? Kidnap him. I want to make this fucker suffer," he berated, his anger fueling his desire for revenge.
"We can\'t find any information about him, Boss Alonzo," the man spoke with a fearful voice.
Alonzo sneered in contempt; his subordinates were a bunch of idiots.
"Then kidnap Nathan Wayne. And if you can\'t find him either, kidnap his sister Nathalie Wayne," he ordered.
"Boss Alonzo, we\'re talking about the Wayne Family here," the man replied, his tone anxious.
"Don\'t worry about it. The Wayne family has already been discarded by that organization. All they have left is their money," he sneered confidently.
"I\'ll make that fucker pay for sleeping with my woman!" he muttered under his breath as he dismissed his subordinate.
Little did Vincent know that his brief entanglement with Vanessa, during a time when he struggled to fully control his emotions and lust, had triggered something within the biggest criminal organization in New York City.
Ironically, this situation served as a stark reminder that one should always exercise caution and think twice before becoming involved with someone else\'s partner.
Like a fateful boomerang, those who venture into forbidden territories, entangled in the affairs of others, will find themselves bitten by the very circumstances they sought to indulge in.