Chapter 1476 NID
Author's Note: Unedited Chapter
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"Let's not jump to conclusions yet. For now, our priority must be to locate Gustav. Whatever it takes."
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Gustav and Stark followed closely behind one of Stark's uncles as they navigated the corridors of one of the Vertigon family estates. The man was none other than Uncle Bila who gave Gustav trouble the first time he arrived on the Vertigon family island.
However, he had now come to fear and respect Gustav. He knew that the man standing before him was not one he could hold a candle to in terms of strength.
They descended deeper into the ancient vaults that housed centuries of artefacts and technological wonders. The air was thick with the musty scent of old paper and aged metal—a library of relics each with a story to tell.
"This here is the Chrono Dial. It is said to be able to manipulate small pockets of time within certain environments. Of course, it can't do anything crazy like universally tamper with time but it has been known for helping in specific spaces."
As they moved from one artefact to another, Uncle Bila's' voice echoed off the stone walls.
Each item they passed seemed more intriguing and potent than the last. There was no doubt that with the fortune of the Vertigon family, they most likely had the largest collection of artefacts and high-grade technological items on Earth.
"And over here, we have the Luminar Sphere. It is believed to enhance the bloodline energy multiplying it by two. Our ancestors once used it to fight off invaders from the outside world."
Gustav listened intently as he considered each item's potential relevance to their current predicament. Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com
The weight of missing the Warp Demolator's appearance pressed heavily on him, fueling his urgency to find something—anything—that could offer a solution or aid.
"Is there anything that can help with travelling to the future?" Gustav inquired.
"Oh... Not as far as I can remember but let's keep checking. We could still find something that can help," Uncle Bila modestly suggested.
The group continued their exploration, their footsteps resonating through the hall of the vault.
As they ascended to the highest level, Uncle Bila led them into a room that starkly contrasted with the ones below.
There, the air was electric, alive with the hum of energy, as they entered a space lined with the rarest and most powerful of the Vertigon archives.
"Now, this—this is the apex of our collection. This vault contains items that may very well be extinct. If you can't find what you need here, then nothing else can help," Uncle Bila stated firmly.
The room was filled with items that gleamed under the soft lighting—metals that seemed to absorb and reflect light in impossible ways, and devices whose purposes were not immediately apparent.
"That's a start. But what kind of energy can we use? We don't have anything here that matches the ancient artefact," Stark liked to build things as well but in this case, he was clueless as to how they were supposed to proceed.
"Perhaps we can make it,"
As the air in the room crackled with potential, Gustav extended his hand, and from the centre of his palm, a glowing bluish sphere emerged, floating effortlessly in the space between them.
The sphere pulsed with energy, its light casting ethereal shadows across the ancient stone walls of the vault.
Stark watched, intrigued and apprehensive, as Gustav focused intently on the sphere. He explained his plan in a calm and steady voice.
"The NID holds remnants of its original power, but not enough to function fully. I'll absorb this residual energy into the sphere, then amplify it with my own."
As Gustav spoke, the sphere began to absorb the faint, flickering energy emanating from the NID.
Slowly, the sphere's colour shifted, the blue hue mingling with streaks of white, until it settled into a uniform, bright white glow. The transformation was a visual testament to the energy it had assimilated.
"Incredible... You never cease to amaze me," Stark couldn't help but blurt out.
'Energy containment is an old bloodline... Glad I had it merged and further developed it's power.'
With a deep breath, Gustav raised his hands toward the sphere, his palms facing it as he began to channel his energy.
The room's atmosphere tensed as his power flowed outward, a visible current of crimson energy streaming into the sphere. The white glow intensified, growing so bright it was almost painful to look at directly.
The entire vault began to tremble, small pebbles and dust motes vibrating off the ancient shelves. The sphere's energy expanded, pushing against the physical confines of its form.
"Now, to stabilize and resize it for integration."
He clapped his palms together sharply, and the sphere compressed rapidly under the force of his will, shrinking down to the size of a small marble before it finally stabilized at about half the size of a pinky nail.
Gustav's face was a mask of concentration as his forehead reflected the light from the tiny, intensely glowing sphere.
He recalled how in the past this would have caused a massive blast. Fortunately, he had longed to gain the strength to control it.
"Is it supposed to be this... volatile?" Stark inquired.
"It's concentrated now, more potent but also more stable. This should be exactly what the NID needs," Gustav responded.
With a cautious hand, Gustav guided the miniature sphere toward the NID. As it approached the device, the air around them seemed to crackle and pop with static electricity.
He allowed the sphere to phase into the NID, merging it with the artefact's internal matrix.
For a moment, nothing happened, and the room was silent but for the sound of their breathing. Then, without warning, the NID lit up, its display activating with a series of soft chimes that filled the room with a melodic resonance.
As its mythical energy filled the room, Uncle Bila couldn't believe his eyes.
'It hasn't functioned in centuries... This young man is truly spectacular.'