"Then this Seventh Celestial… where was her guide? Her mysterious person?" Marcellus asked.
Garius fell silent, and all eyes turned to Aria.
Javier, who still had a firm grip on her hair, tilted his head. "Yeah, now that you ntion it… where's your so-called guide?"
Aria smirked. "Oh, that annoying thing? I killed it already. Long before I got here."
Silence.
"…Huh?" Marcellus, Cedric, and the others were stunned.
Aria stretched her free arm, completely unbothered by Javier still holding her hair. "It was a pain, always telling what to do, trying to 'guide' sowhere, like I was so puppet. So, I got rid of it. Simple."
Aria's smirk widened. "Well, it's not just for . I didn't want it annoying my sister either."
"Sister?"
"You wanna see her?"
Before anyone could react, Aria's entire body glowed. The light was blinding, forcing everyone to shield their eyes. The air trembled with an overwhelming presence, yet—strangely—it wasn't hostile.
When the light faded, a different figure stood beside Aria .
Unlike Aria, who radiated wild confidence, the girl before them looked soft and delicate. Her hair flowed like silk, framing her small face. Her eyes were wide, hesitant, filled with uncertainty. She wore an oversized robe that nearly swallowed her fra, her hands gripping the sleeves as if seeking comfort.
A nervous whisper broke the silence.
"…Umm, Aria?"
Aria grinned. "Ari, et them."
Ari's gaze flickered to everyone, then imdiately darted away. "Uuu… too many people…" she murmured, fidgeting.
Javier, still blinking in surprise, processed what just happened.
Marcellus, Cedric, and the others simply stared.
Heres leaned toward Aelius. "There are two of them?"
Aelius swallowed. "I… I don't know what I expected, but not this."
Athine, however, smiled. "She's cute."
Aria smirked, crossing her arms. "Of course she is! She's my sister."
Ari, still gripping her sleeve, pouted. "You're embarrassing …"
Javier, watching the exchange, let out a low chuckle. Then his grin turned wild.
"Our fight isn't over yet!" Javier grinned, his fingers tangled in Aria's hair as he gave a sharp tug.
Aria's grin widened as she tightened her grip on Javier's hair, staring into his eyes with playful nace. "You want to make you bald?"
Javier laughed, tightening his hold. "Try it. Hair grows back." His gaze flickered with amusent. "But you, Little Celestial… can you say the sa?"
Aria's smirk wavered for half a second—just long enough for Javier to press his advantage.
"If I rip all this out, will it grow back? Or are you going to be the first 'bald Celestial' in history?"
For a mont, they stood there, locked in a battle of hair-pulling, grinning at each other like two troublemakers who refused to back down.
Ari, watching this absurd scene, tugged at her sleeve. "Uuu… is this normal?" she asked hesitantly.
Athine sighed, rubbing her temples. "For Javier? Yes."
Marcellus chuckled. "Honestly, I think they're having fun."
Cedric smirked. "They might end up bald together at this rate."
anwhile, Alf, Erinette, and Hesbeirn observed with unreadable expressions.
Then—
Javier and Aria released each other's hair at the sa ti, both throwing a fist forward. Their punches collided mid-air, causing a shockwave that sent dust and debris flying. The ground beneath them cracked, their raw power distorting the air around them.
"Now, let's get serious!" Javier declared, his aura flaring.
Aria grinned, excitent flashing in her eyes. "I was waiting for you to say that."
Javier unleashed his full power, his aura flaring wildly and distorting the air around him. His presence sent ripples through the ground, and even the sky above seed to shudder under the pressure.
Aria's eyes widened slightly before she let out a chuckle. "Ah~ If only you were a girl, I would've picked you as my vessel myself." She licked her lips, excitent gleaming in her eyes. "Such a waste~"
Javier smirked, launching himself forward. "Too bad for you."
Their battle intensified, fists colliding and shockwaves tearing through the air. Spells exploded around them, their magic clashing in a dazzling display of raw power. Amidst the chaos, Javier kept his voice calm as he asked,
"Why do you Celestials even need vessels? You're already strong."
Aria tilted her head mid-dodge, then shrugged. "Hmm? Oh… it's just that a Celestial without a vessel is still incomplete. Our power is limited in this state."
Javier narrowed his eyes. "Limited? Are you sure? You seem plenty strong to ."
Aria smirked. "You think this is strong? Compared to my true power? Hardly."
She twirled, dodging another of Javier's kicks before continuing, "The reason I need a vessel right now is simple—the others already have theirs. And if I don't get one soon…"
Her voice trailed off, but the aning was clear.
Javier's smirk faded slightly. "…I see."
The fight continued, but now sothing had shifted. A new layer of understanding hung between them, even as their battle raged on.
Garius watched calmly as Javier and Aria exchanged blows, his sharp eyes following their every move. Despite the sheer intensity of their fight, his expression remained composed. Then, in a asured tone, he spoke:
"Do you know what happens when a Celestial finds its vessel?"
Javier halted mid-strike, his fist still crackling with mana. Aria, too, stopped, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Hmm?"
Everyone turned their gaze toward Garius. Even Liana and Gloria, who had been watching quietly, focused their attention on him.
Garius rested a hand on his chin. "Aria."
"Hmm?" she responded with a lazy grin.
"Explain."
Aria stretched her arms above her head, rolling her shoulders as if she had all the ti in the world. Then, with an amused smirk, she spoke:
"It's simple." Her eyes glead with an unreadable emotion. "When a Celestial bonds with a vessel, we beco sothing… more. Our power, our very existence, fuses with the vessel. We no longer remain just a Celestial."
Silence fell over the group, and a sense of unease settled in the air.
Javier's gaze darkened slightly. "…Then what do they beco?"
Aria nodded. "Think of it like this—the vessel becos a part of us, and we beco a part of them. Our power, our essence, our very existence fuses with the vessel. And in return, the vessel gains strength beyond imagination. But…"
She let her words hang for a mont before smirking. "Not just anyone can handle that. A weak vessel would be completely devoured by the Celestial's will."
Liana and Gloria, who had been watching quietly, exchanged glances. Garius remained silent, his sharp gaze unreadable.
Marcellus frowned. "Devoured? So the person ceases to exist?"
Aria tilted her head. "That depends. So Celestials take over completely; so allow their vessel to keep their personality but influence them over ti. And a few…"
She glanced at Javier, her grin widening. "…choose to coexist equally."
Javier clicked his tongue. "Sounds annoying."
Aria laughed. "Oh, it is." Leaning forward, eyes gleaming with challenge, she added, "And that's exactly why I need a strong vessel. Soone who won't break. Soone who can handle ."
Javier raised a brow. "You make it sound like you're picking a lover, not a vessel."
Aria grinned. "Oh? Would you prefer that?"
Javier just smirked, but inside, he was already thinking. The other Celestials had all chosen vessels, aning powerful people were already walking around with Celestial
( End of Chapter )
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