Virtual Ascension

"Absorb the Black Orb."

Venix's voice echoed in Vulture's mind, piercing the oppressive silence around them.

Despite his body being nearly destroyed and barely holding together, Vulture summoned all his strength to touch the Black Orb with what remained of his wing—now little more than bone.

As the skeletal remains of his wing made contact with the orb, a crimson glow enveloped Vulture's wing bones.

The absorption began.

With the aid of the Astral Bond, everything related to Vulture—his speed, his absorption ability—was significantly amplified.

Whoosshhh~

An overwhelming surge of energy poured into Vulture's body, and slowly, new flesh began to form on his nearly obliterated wings.

Venix sensed the speed of the absorption and was shocked by how quickly it was happening—far faster than ever before.

The Black Orb quivered, as though trying to resist.

However, with no physical body to shield it, the Black Orb could only surrender, feeling its power forcibly absorbed by Vulture.

The damage inflicted on the orb was severe, making recovery impossible in the short term.

Second by second, the Black Orb shrank, its energy siphoned into Vulture's body, which continued to regenerate.

New flesh and feathers began to cover Vulture, his condition improving rapidly. Despite lingering injuries, Vulture felt far stronger than before.

Meanwhile, the Tentacle Monster also began regenerating its body. Its humanoid form reappeared, and its nine severed tentacles started growing back. However, the regrown tentacles were noticeably smaller and weaker than before.

The Astral Bond had a limited duration and could not last forever.

Had it not been for the strength of Venix's Astral Body, the effects of the technique would have already ended.

"We can't defeat it through normal combat or simply kill it. The only way is to fight for mutual absorption," Venix declared firmly.

Had the Tentacle Monster been at full strength, this plan would have been impossible.

However, thanks to Vulture's earlier suicidal assault, he had managed to gain a crucial time advantage—a fleeting opportunity to weaken the Tentacle Monster and seize control.

As soon as its regrown tentacles became functional, the Tentacle Monster moved with determination.

Nine large tentacles coiled tightly around Vulture, attempting to absorb him.

Though the tentacles appeared terrifying, they were inherently fragile.

The Tentacle Monster's true strength lay in its ability to absorb its enemies upon contact.

Previously, Vulture had effortlessly severed the tentacles, demonstrating that while they could entangle and restrain, they lacked the power to inflict significant damage on his body.

What made the Tentacle Monster truly dangerous was its unnatural ability to absorb and heal itself.

This was the core of its terrifying power—the capacity to survive by leeching off its foes and its astonishing regenerative abilities.

However, in terms of raw physical strength and combat capabilities, the Tentacle Monster was far weaker than Vulture.

Venix finally grasped the essence of the monster's fighting style.

The Tentacle Monster did not aim to kill its opponents directly but to absorb them alive.

And in this absorption battle, the Tentacle Monster held the upper hand.

But Vulture was no ordinary foe. He possessed extraordinary capabilities, enhanced by the buffs provided by Venix.

Even so, the Tentacle Monster's absorption ability was superior to Vulture's, even with the early advantage he had seized.

The Tentacle Monster absorbed faster and more powerfully, placing immense pressure on Vulture.

"If you lose, it will be the end of us entirely!" Venix said, his voice tinged with anxiety.

Outside, Luna watched Venix's soul through the monitor, her face filled with shock. What she saw on the screen startled her.

The position of the Primary Origin Seed had shifted.

The Tentacle Monster, which had previously dominated, was now being overtaken by Vulture.

However, the shift was brief. In a flash, the Tentacle Monster reclaimed its position.

This tug-of-war repeated endlessly, a constant battle for dominance.

Vulture seized control for a mere second, only for the Tentacle Monster to take it back.

This time, the Tentacle Monster maintained its dominance for a longer duration, signaling a slight advantage in absorption.

Venix observed intently, his anxiety mounting. Though he could see Vulture's struggle to absorb the Tentacle Monster, the fight was far from over. The monster still had a slight edge in their contest of mutual consumption.

Luna, confused, continued to observe the changing data.

"Venix is trying to replace the Tentacle Monster with Vulture? But why Vulture?" she wondered, sensing something amiss.

In the real world, Vulture was just an ordinary animal—a choice that seemed illogical to replace the Tentacle Monster.

Although an Origin Seed held immense power regardless of its form, a unique and specialized form naturally had more advantages than a simple animal.

Vulture, while strong, was limited compared to the Tentacle Monster, which possessed unique abilities.

But Luna wasn't just puzzled by Venix's decision—she was also intrigued by the data emerging from the shift in the Primary Origin Seed.

"If I can collect enough data, I might be able to release a more advanced version of the Meditation Technique!" Luna murmured, her face alight with rekindled passion for research.

Still, Luna remained concerned for Venix's condition.

It seemed Venix did not want the Tentacle Monster to become his Primary Origin Seed. If Venix failed, all his efforts would have been in vain.

"Unfortunately, I can't help him. The battle inside the Origin Fragment Realm is too isolated for any external interference," Luna sighed, frustration etched on her face.

Back in the Origin Fragment Realm, Vulture's situation grew increasingly dire.

Despite gaining an early advantage and weakening the Tentacle Monster, the two were now locked in a nearly even tug-of-war. The longer they fought, the clearer it became that the Tentacle Monster was slowly overpowering Vulture.

"If only Vulture had a little more time, he might have been able to suppress the Tentacle Monster from the start," Venix muttered, frustration creeping into his voice.

All hope now rested on Vulture.

There was nothing more Venix could do to assist him.

He had already given everything to Vulture.

Venix's Astral Body was nearing its limit, and the Astral Bond, which had granted Vulture extraordinary strength, would not last much longer.

"A truly incredible battle, Vulture," Venix said softly, his voice barely audible in the suffocating silence.

Hearing Venix's words, Vulture sensed the deep tone of farewell in his voice.

To Venix, their time together had only been a few days, but for Vulture, they had shared years together.

In that short time, the bond they had formed was incredibly strong.

That was why Vulture, despite his primal instincts, continued to obey Venix's commands.

Vulture didn't just trust Venix—he regarded him as a friend and leader worth following, even in such a critical situation.

Vulture retaliated with all his might, severing two tentacles. But the severed limbs writhed and tried to rejoin the main body.

Seeing this, a wild idea struck Vulture.

Without hesitation, he opened his mouth wide and swallowed the severed tentacle whole!

As the tentacle slid into his stomach, Vulture felt a resistance, as if the piece was trying to absorb energy from within his body.

Even so, only a small portion of the Tentacle Monster's essence remained in that severed piece. Even if it absorbed Vulture's energy, it wouldn't reconnect with the Tentacle Monster's main body.

Aware of this, Vulture wasn't threatened. His own energy absorption was far stronger than the severed tentacle's attempt to drain him!

Without mercy, Vulture quickly digested the piece, breaking it down completely within his body, turning it into energy to fuel himself.

This process hampered the Tentacle Monster, which now had to regenerate its lost limb.

However, this regeneration took slightly longer than before.

Venix, with his divine perspective, could perceive far more than Vulture could.

Venix quickly noticed the shift.

"The Black Orb's size is shrinking!" Venix exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with a startling discovery. "Even if only slightly, this is enough to weaken it! The shrinking is caused by... the Tentacle Monster's regeneration!"

Venix had finally uncovered the Tentacle Monster's primary weakness.

It turned out the Tentacle Monster couldn't regenerate endlessly! There was a cost each time it did so.

"Keep cutting and eating its tentacles!" Venix ordered firmly.

The tentacles were far easier to sever than the humanoid body of the Tentacle Monster.

Vulture, now brimming with confidence, swiftly severed another tentacle and swallowed it whole.

The humanoid face of the Tentacle Monster twisted drastically. It let out a loud, anguished scream, furious and in pain as its body continued to weaken.

"Keep going!" Venix urged, his voice showing signs of strain. He could feel the Astral Bond's effects wouldn't last much longer.

Meanwhile, outside, Luna was closely observing the unfolding events and noticed a significant change.

Vulture had now managed to seize the position of the main Seed Origin. Though the Tentacle Monster occasionally regained it, the intervals were much shorter than before, and Vulture's dominance became increasingly apparent.

"Did Venix succeed?" Luna whispered, her voice filled with awe at the accomplishment.

Yet beneath her admiration, Luna was acutely aware that Venix's Astral Body wouldn't hold out for much longer.

While Vulture was able to suppress the Tentacle Monster now, that advantage was likely temporary, dependent on the Astral Bond. Without its support, Vulture would revert to being weak, and the opportunity for victory would vanish entirely.

The disparity in strength, with and without the Astral Bond, was enormous.

"I need to do something!" Luna muttered anxiously, her voice nearly inaudible in the silent room.

If the Astral Bond ended prematurely, all of Venix's efforts would be in vain, and their last chance for victory would slip away.

Clenching her teeth, Luna steeled herself.

She couldn't let it end like this.

With firm resolve, Luna walked toward the glass chamber where Venix was meditating and stepped inside.

Venix appeared deeply immersed in stillness, his eyes tightly shut as he concentrated on maintaining the Astral Bond.

"I can help Venix by sacrificing my own Astral Body and extending the duration of his Astral Bond," Luna murmured, her voice resolute despite the doubts lingering in her heart.

All this time, Luna had been reluctant to take such a step.

Sacrificing her Astral Body would only prolong the Astral Bond's duration without adding any extra power or buffs.

Extending the Astral Bond might allow Vulture more time to achieve victory, but if he failed, it would all be for nothing.

Luna knew the severe consequences of this action. Damaging her Astral Body would significantly slow her power development for years to come.

Without certainty of success, Luna hesitated to use this technique.

But this time, the circumstances were different.

Vulture had already managed to suppress the Tentacle Monster slightly, and by giving him more time, there was a real chance he could win.

"I can't let Venix's struggle go to waste," Luna murmured, her eyes filled with unwavering determination.

With steady steps, Luna placed her hand on Venix's back, her palm radiating a brilliant golden light.

A unique wave of energy flowed from her body into Venix's.

Venix's nearly transparent Astral Body began to absorb the golden energy, slowly regaining its form. What had been on the verge of fading away became solid and clear, as if revitalized.

"Hm? What's happening?" Venix wondered, startled by the sudden influx of energy into his Astral Body.

His Astral Body, which had been nearly drained, now had enough energy to last a little longer.

Venix didn't know what was happening, but it was an excellent opportunity for him!

His chances of guiding Vulture to victory now felt closer than ever.

Venix understood that once the Astral Bond ended, Vulture would likely fall prey to the Tentacle Monster, even though he had grown much stronger.

The Tentacle Monster's abilities were so terrifying that they couldn't be measured by raw strength alone.

But now, the tide was turning, reigniting Vulture's resolve.

With fierce determination, Vulture tore through the monster's tentacles, attacking with a vengeance, as if driven by a deep-seated grudge. He devoured every severed piece without hesitation.

"Keep going, Vulture! You can beat it!" Venix cheered passionately.

The size of the Black Orb continued to shrink rapidly, and a major transformation began to take place within Vulture's body.

The feathers on Vulture's body, previously brown, began to change as he digested more of the Tentacle Monster's flesh.

Slowly, dark purple spots started to appear across his body.

The purple markings seemed like signs of poisoning, but Venix knew better. This wasn't poisoning; it was a sign that Vulture was evolving—undergoing a significant transformation that would drastically enhance his abilities.

Two minutes passed, and Vulture's feathers had completely turned dark purple, giving him a menacing yet awe-inspiring appearance.

At that moment, the changes within Vulture's body began to intensify.

Previously, the Tentacle Monster's flesh resisted digestion, making the process difficult.

Now, however, Vulture could digest the monster's flesh effortlessly.

His digestion speed skyrocketed, becoming unstoppable.

Seeing this transformation, Venix couldn't contain his joy.

Even though the Astral Bond would soon expire, the results of this evolution assured him that victory was within their grasp.

Nine of the Tentacle Monster's tentacles were gone, with only a few remnants left.

Without hesitation, Vulture began targeting the humanoid body of the Tentacle Monster, attacking with relentless ferocity.

A series of five consecutive strikes finally severed the humanoid body into smaller chunks.

Vulture devoured each piece, determined to overcome the humanoid flesh, which was far more difficult to digest than the tentacles.

But with his newfound evolution, Vulture's digestion capabilities had grown so much that he could handle even this challenge.

Piece by piece, the Tentacle Monster's humanoid body was consumed.

At last, only the Black Orb remained—the Tentacle Monster's final essence.

The Black Orb, now much smaller than before, fit perfectly into Vulture's mouth.

Quickly, Vulture swallowed the Black Orb whole.

As soon as it entered his body, a massive explosion occurred within him.

Boom!

The Black Orb fought back fiercely, attempting to destroy Vulture from the inside.

But Vulture's greatest strength now lay in his digestion! His unparalleled digestive power made him unstoppable.

The Black Orb's resistance was futile against Vulture's overwhelming digestion. Slowly but surely, Vulture gained the upper hand, breaking it down completely until it could no longer fight back.

"It's over! Excellent work!" Venix exclaimed jubilantly. Victory was finally theirs.

Just seconds before the Astral Bond expired, Venix was confident that Vulture would fully digest the Black Orb, even without the bond's support.

As the Astral Bond's effects faded, Venix saw that Vulture continued to contain and digest the Black Orb, steadily neutralizing it.

Venix was certain that, with time, Vulture would absorb the Black Orb entirely.

Finally, a few seconds later, Venix's consciousness was pulled out of the Origin Fragment Realm, returning to his physical body.

Venix opened his eyes, feeling an exhaustion he had never known before, as though every ounce of his strength had been drained.

"Did you succeed?" Luna's voice came from behind him, filled with concern.

"I... somehow managed to change the position of the main Seed Origin, but... Wait! What happened to you!?" Venix asked in alarm, noticing blood trickling from Luna's lips.

Luna smiled faintly, attempting to appear calm despite the blood continuing to drip.

"I'm fine. It's not life-threatening," Luna replied, casually wiping the blood away.

Venix paused, then recalled the final moments when the Astral Bond had almost expired.

He remembered the sudden surge of mysterious energy that extended the bond's duration just long enough to secure Vulture's victory.

Connecting the dots, Venix finally realized who had provided that crucial assistance.

If he hadn't figured it out sooner, he would have felt foolish and perhaps even slammed his head against a wall.

Luna's intervention had been pivotal at that critical moment.

"Thank you," Venix said softly, his voice filled with deep gratitude.

He didn't know exactly what Luna had done to help, but without her intervention in those final seconds, the outcome of the battle could have been drastically different.

Thanks to Luna's timely sacrifice, the future for Venix—and perhaps for both of them—now lay on a vastly different path.