Awakened Talent: 10,000 Exp Converter!

Zarrok and Korvath wasted no time, charging in tandem. Twin silver greatswords slashed through the air, their edges shimmering with condensed energy. The blades moved with precision, aimed at the golem's midsection.

CLANG! CLANG!

Yet—their blades barely left a scratch. The golem's surface remained unscathed, not even a dent to show for their efforts.

A second later, a fire-forged lance and a crystalline spear hurtled through the air, striking the golem's face dead-on. The attacks came from Crizelia and Ara, who had launched their assaults simultaneously.

BOOM! BOOM!

The explosions lit up the cavern, but just like before, their efforts proved fruitless. The golem stood tall, its crimson eyes glowing with an almost mocking intensity.

At that moment, Dio seized his opportunity. Darting behind the golem, his arms surged with azure energy—a sign of Tier 3 strength. The air around him crackled as he channeled his power, his fists glowing with a fierce, otherworldly light.

With a powerful shout, he drove his fist toward the back of the golem's head.

BANG!

A resounding impact filled the chamber, the force of the blow sending shockwaves through the air. Yet—

The golem remained unshaken.

Dio grimaced as a sharp numbness spread through his arm. Even at full strength, his attack had done nothing. He immediately retreated, his mind racing as the others continued to bombard the golem without hesitation.

Meanwhile, Anur and Bern ventured into the thick dust and smoke, searching for Vincent. The aftermath of the golem's laser beam had left the ground shattered and uneven, making their progress slow and treacherous.

"Shroud!" Anur called out, his voice strained as he navigated the debris. The dust was thick, obscuring their vision, but they pressed on, driven by urgency.

On the other side, Bern noticed a silhouette within the smoke. He gestured to Anur, his voice low but urgent. "He's here!"

Hearing Bern, Anur approached and waved the dust away, revealing Vincent.

Vincent was embedded in the wall, leaning forward in a sitting position. His arms clutched his chest, but Anur and Bern quickly noticed that Vincent had shielded the plump black rabbit, Mochi, from the blast. The act of protection had come at a great cost.

Vincent's armor was shattered from his shoulders to his arms, the metal torn and twisted. His flesh was in a bloody state, revealing glimpses of white bone beneath. The impact had also burned a small portion of his hair and mask, exposing the lower part of his face. His breathing was labored, each inhale a struggle against the pain.

At this moment, Vincent was in shock. It was the first time he had felt so close to death, the first time he had experienced pain of this magnitude. His body felt like it was on fire, every nerve screaming in agony. His arms, in particular, were a mess of blood and torn flesh.

He couldn't understand it. In that split second, he had activated his C-rank Talent: Origin Enhancement, bolstering the Origin Energy shield he had summoned, along with his other defensive abilities. Yet, the golem's laser beam had pierced through his defenses as if they were nothing more than thin paper. If it hadn't been for his high base stats, the attack might have killed him instantly, rendering all his defensive skills and items useless.

It was as if Origin Energy—or anything made of it—had no effect on the laser beam. Even his passive regeneration ability was struggling to heal his injuries, the strange energy of the golem's attack interfering with his body's natural recovery.

Despite sensing the presence of Anur and Bern, Vincent didn't pay them much attention. His focus was on Mochi, who was cradled in his arms. Even the slightest movement sent waves of pain coursing through his body, but he ignored it, his gaze fixed on the small, trembling creature.

Sensing his gaze, Mochi lifted her head and looked at him. Her golden eyes were filled with fear, but that fear quickly turned to worry as she took in Vincent's condition.

Before she could voice her concern, Vincent asked her with a relaxed smile, "Are you alright?"

Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. She ignored his question and exclaimed, "S-Stupid Master, y-you're bleeding! W-Why are you not healing yourself?!"

Her voice was high-pitched, panicked, like a child seeing blood for the first time. In truth, it was the first time she had seen her master injured, and the sight had shaken her to her core.

Vincent gave her a reassuring smile, his voice calm despite the pain. "Don't worry, I'm alright."

Mochi reacted with a frantic tone in his mind, "Alright? You're bleeding so much!"

At this moment, Anur and Bern arrived next to him. They were shocked by Vincent's condition. They knew his strength, and if he was already in such a state, they couldn't imagine what would have happened if the laser beam had been aimed at them. Stay connected with My Virtual Library Empire

Anur crouched down, his tall frame folding as he reached for a bottle of recovery potion. "Are you alright? Come on, drink this."

Vincent shook his head, declining the potion. It wasn't out of arrogance or a reluctance to owe anyone—it was because he knew the recovery potion wouldn't help. The strange energy from the golem's attack was preventing his body from healing.

"It's fine, that's not gonna work," Vincent said, his voice strained but firm.

Anur was confused. "What do you mean?"

Vincent could feel the strange energy interfering with his body's natural recovery. He explained, "There's some kind of energy blocking my regeneration. Origin Energy—anything related to it—won't have any effect."

Anur's expression darkened. "What? It's blocking the effect of Origin Energy?!"

Bern was equally shocked but remained silent, his mind racing as he processed the implications.

Vincent continued, "If I'm right, anything about Origin Energy will not have any effect on it…"

Anur and Bern exchanged worried glances. If that was true, then even if they fought together, they wouldn't be able to do anything. They might even die if they couldn't find a solution.

At that moment, as the dust of smoke finally dissipated, the golem once again noticed Mochi. Its mechanical voice echoed through the cavern, cold and unfeeling. "Extermination failed! Eliminate the intruder!"

Hearing this, Dio frowned, his attention shifting to Vincent's condition. In the next second, the golem's eyes glowed with a dangerous light, accompanied by a high-pitched whine. It was preparing to release another laser beam.

Dio quickly alerted the group, his voice sharp with urgency. "It's going to shoot again! Be careful!"

Vincent also noticed the golem's movements. His expression darkened, while Anur and Bern felt a chill run down their spines. Mochi perked her ears, sensing the golem's gaze once more.

Before the golem could unleash another devastating attack, Anur and Bern hurriedly retreated. As much as they wanted to help, they knew there was nothing they could do with their current strength. They wouldn't risk their lives for a stranger, no matter how dire the situation.

Soon, the crimson woman in a flaming mask—Ara—also noticed Vincent's condition. She had been warily observing the golem, her eyes glinting with an unknown emotion. When the golem finally unleashed the powerful laser beam, Ara exclaimed in worry, "Look out!"

A low, throbbing hum vibrated through the air as the laser beam launched toward Vincent—or more precisely, toward Mochi.

At this very moment, Anur and Bern, who were closest to Vincent, felt the incoming laser beam. They believed that Vincent wouldn't be able to survive this time. The sheer power of the attack was overwhelming, and with Vincent already injured, there seemed to be no hope.

However—

Bang!

The laser beam collided with something solid.

A deep-purple ominous aura appeared around Vincent and Mochi, blocking the laser beam!

"What?!" Zarrok exclaimed in shock. He had been looking forward to Vincent's demise, but he never expected that Vincent would be able to block the attack when Origin Energy was useless!

The others were equally shocked, their eyes wide with disbelief. But their shock was quickly replaced by baffled confusion. What kind of power was that? That was the question running through the minds of those who had no idea of Vincent's true capabilities.

Needless to say, it was Vincent's last resort—his Chaos Energy!

Although he had been warned not to use it for the time being, he had no choice. He could either keep it hidden and die, or use it and survive. At this moment, his right hand was extended in front of him, while his left arm cradled Mochi. Dark-purple energy emanated from his body, healing his injuries at an astonishing rate.

However, at the same time, Vincent could feel his senses slowly crumbling away. His arms began to transform, taking on a demon-like appearance as they were enveloped in chaos energy. His hair slowly turned upside down, and a small horn protruded from the left side of his forehead.

The changes in Vincent's appearance immediately caught the attention of everyone present, especially the two thrygians, who were shocked by Vincent's sudden display of power.

"W-What's happening to him?" Zarrok said, his voice filled with bafflement.