Cursed energy reinforcing his body, energy absorption draining the power from the optic blasts, and the Reverse Cursed Technique healing his constantly damaged palm—under this series of enhancements, Aurelius Viremont was able to withstand the laser beams that could easily pierce steel using nothing but his bare flesh.
System prompts rang continuously in his ears:
[Energy Points +1]
[Energy Absorption XP +1]
[Limitless Technique XP +1]
Compared to Energy Absorption, which was already Lv.3 and much harder to level up, the Limitless Technique—currently only Lv.2—saw its experience points soar. In a very short time, it reached the brink of an upgrade!
Aurelius Viremont held his palm against the laser and took another step forward!
The terrifying pressure suddenly skyrocketed. The powerful repulsive force from Cursed Technique Reversal: Red expanded its range to several hundred meters. Along the way, numerous buildings were crushed and collapsed under the immense weight of the force.
Everything vanished like smoke at the demon's tread!
Faced with this sudden surge in repulsion, even Storm and Jean Grey working together could no longer hold the line. The X-Men were sent flying backward. Despite Jean's telekinesis acting as a buffer, they were still left bruised and battered by flying debris.
Clack, clack, clack...
The sound of footsteps hitting the ground continued. The terrifying White Demon did not stop!
Even though they immediately reset their defenses, the crushing pressure around them reached a critical point that Jean and Storm could barely withstand. It felt as if their hard-won defense would be pulverized in the next instant, and they would be ground into dust by the irresistible force.
Cyclops, having tumbled to the ground, struggled to his feet. Enduring the sharp pain racking his body, he poured every ounce of his strength into the beams erupting from his eyes, striking at the White Demon.
Beside him, Storm did the same. Hovering in the air with the help of the wind, she continuously summoned massive bolts of lightning to strike down upon the target.
However, facing an attack far stronger than the one before, the White Demon—who had previously used his hand to block the lasers—didn't bother to defend at all. Instead, he simply grinned at them.
Because just now, Aurelius Viremont had heard the system chime:
[Limitless Technique XP +1]
[Congratulations, Limitless Technique has leveled up!]
[Limitless Technique Lv.3 (1/1000): Interferes with matter at the atomic level to dominate space. Objects approaching the user become increasingly slower the closer they get, never truly touching the user.]
The dazzling lightning and scorching lasers froze instantly as they reached him. The searing light, which could previously inch forward slowly, was now completely halted and repelled even faster than before!
At the moment of the upgrade, a flood of information rushed into Aurelius Viremont's brain. The effective range of the Limitless Technique expanded rapidly—from ten centimeters outside his body to twenty, thirty... finally stopping at fifty centimeters!
Compared to Lv.2, the range had increased fivefold, and he could now effortlessly block laser attacks that previously required manual intervention. The X-Men could no longer threaten even a single hair on his head.
Seeing this, Cyclops gasped in disbelief. "What just happened? Why did my lasers suddenly stop working?"
Just moments ago, his beams were a threat; seconds later, they were utterly useless.
Professor X answered his doubt. "The White Demon's defensive capability has undergone a qualitative leap. He is now completely ignoring your optic blasts... As I suspected, his strength is constantly evolving in real-time."
Realizing they were no longer a match for him, Xavier knew that bringing the White Demon to the "right path" would require a much longer-term plan. He shouted, "Child, stop! We mean you have no ill will!"
But the White Demon's footsteps continued, showing no sign of stopping.
Jean Grey, bearing the brunt of the defense, was trembling. Her wounds were bleeding, and she looked ready to break at any second. Furthermore, the fire-like red glow in her pupils became increasingly prominent, as if she were about to erupt.
Xavier grew even more anxious. If Jean lost control now, her battle with the White Demon would likely level the entirety of New York. While trying to soothe Jean's mind, he spoke urgently to Aurelius Viremont again: "Child, we have no malice! If we have offended you, we will leave immediately!"
Still, the footsteps persisted. By now, even Storm and Cyclops had noticed the issue with Jean. They looked at the encroaching White Demon and then at the Professor, who was failing to suppress Jean's psyche. Despair took hold.
They didn't know who would win between Jean and the White Demon, but they knew for certain they were dead, and New York was finished. They regretted the attempt to recruit him, but it was too late to stop the catastrophe. Given the White Demon's ruthless history, they didn't expect him to suddenly show mercy.
However, just as they braced for Jean to snap and the world to end, the White Demon suddenly stopped.
The horrific pressure vanished instantly. He ceased his attack and looked at them coldly. The fear of death wrapped around the X-Men like a shroud, making it hard to breathe. The silence stretched for minutes, feeling like an eternity in that oppressive atmosphere.
Suddenly, the X-Men saw the White Demon move. They braced for an attack, but to their bewilderment, the man who looked ready to slaughter them all just a moment ago took a step, vanished, and was gone.
"This..."
The sudden resolution of the crisis left them baffled. Storm asked tentatively, "Could he... actually have been moved by the Professor's words?"
Professor X was drenched in sweat, having finally pulled Jean back from the brink. Hearing Storm, he shook his head. "It's possible, but the probability is low. I lean toward a second possibility—that the White Demon possesses some form of crisis intuition, or even precognition. He sensed Jean was about to lose control and chose to leave."
Except for Jean, who had collapsed into unconsciousness from overexertion, Storm and Cyclops thought back to the details. The Professor's theory seemed the most likely.
"He awakened another ability? Or did he have it all along and only just showed it?" Cyclops muttered. He had never seen a mutant with so many diverse powers.