In barely a few minutes, Asher had achieved both objectives; he had successfully tamed the Star Energy. At this moment, if anyone looked at Virelass, they would think she was simply shrouded in ordinary Astra energy. The color, the volatility, the force, everything had been replicated with such precision that even a trained eye would have been deceived.

Asher smiled, though the smile vanished the next moment as he rose to his feet. The third and final step was to use it in battle and ensure he maintained constant focus so that the true color and nature of the Star Energy remained completely hidden. He would have to do this until such control came as naturally as breathing.

His knees dipped, and then he vanished from where he stood. Instantly, multiple phantoms of Asher filled the chamber as he tore through the air, his movements carving golden streaks across the enclosed space. Flashes of shimmering lines filled the air as he slashed while moving at immense speed.

Asher could feel how the air tore and screamed as he thrust his rapier forward. After several moments, he halted. He had been moving endlessly for five continuous minutes, and his control over the Star Energy had not slipped once. But he understood this was not because he had attained perfection; it was because there was no external pressure, no unpredictable variable capable of making his Star Energy control slip.

The golden sheen around Virelass dissipated. Asher was about to return her to her sheath when she suddenly vanished from his hand, reappearing midair beside him as she hummed with clear satisfaction. Asher stared at the hovering blade for a moment, then simply shook his head with a quiet smile as he moved on to the next phase of his training.

Closing his eyes, Asher took a slow breath and entered a state of absolute focus. Virelass fell silent, understanding precisely how he trained and knowing not to disturb him.

Now, he intended to begin physical augmentation. Augmenting his fists, legs, and other parts of his body had become almost straightforward, especially considering he had already succeeded in augmenting Virelass. It was understandable that he could apply such reinforcement to himself.

But Asher wanted to augment his eyes, to heighten his perception. Omni Perception allowed him to sense everything within a certain radius and detect movement from all directions. But what he wanted now was something different, something sharper and infinitely more dangerous.

He wanted to increase his perception to the point where every movement appeared slowed, where the world seemed to drag behind him, granting him a level of clarity he was not supposed to possess. This was the kind of perception he had experienced during his battle against the Grave Rank Goblin, where he kept up with it for two uninterrupted minutes.

Omni Perception alone could never achieve that. That was why, the moment his Star Form vanished, Omni Perception became practically useless. It allowed him to sense everything, yes, and even see through walls, but what use was perception when the objects moved faster than he could register?

Without even the slightest bit of hesitation, Asher began. But he wasn't going to augment his eyes immediately. His eyes were not like his fists or legs, they were delicate, fragile, composed of soft tissues and nerves. A single mistake, even a slight miscalculation, and his eyes would burst outward.

Immediately, a white energy manifested, wrapping around his entire head like a glowing helmet. Asher remained calm and completely still. His eyes blazed with white light, the glow flickering as he attempted to gauge the changes in perception. But the training chamber was silent and still; nothing moved here.

With a thought, he communicated with Virelass. The sword immediately moved through the air with a controlled pace, fast, but not too fast, just enough to give him something to track. Asher removed the Star Energy from around his head. After registering Virelass's speed and comparing it to his perceived motion, he re-encased his head with Star Energy and instructed Virelass to move at the same speed again.

A small smile touched Asher's glowing lips. As he watched Virelass drift across the air, he realized that his perception had indeed sharpened. It wasn't anywhere near the clarity of his Star Form, but he knew that the Star Form was simply raw, untamed energy. Once he perfected his control, his strength would skyrocket, his duration in Star Form would certainly increase as well.

Asher's senses traced the flow of Star Energy through his eyes: every nerve, every tissue, the retina, the sclera, the cornea, the choroid, the iris. Jennifer had been a medical student, and combined with Asher's prodigious mind, it was only natural that he understood the anatomy of the eyes almost perfectly.

Mapping each part and memorizing the flow, the Star Energy encasing his head faded completely. Asher did not immediately use Star Energy again. Instead, he used Astra energy, guiding it along the exact path he had just mapped. Virelass, receiving the unspoken signal, moved through the air once more. His perception of motion increased, not dramatically, but noticeably. It still paled next to the power of Star Energy, but it was an achievement nonetheless.

Satisfied with that small success, though he had expected it, Asher moved on to the real challenge. He carefully shifted to Star Energy. He did not dare pump too much energy into his eyes; his control was still insufficient, and Star Energy was far too potent to be mishandled. So he began with the smallest possible amount, directing it through the detailed anatomical pathways he had charted in his mind.

Before Asher could even react, his eyes exploded outward.

Blood splattered across the ground as the world lost color, his senses collapsing into utter darkness. Without hesitation, Virelass activated Crimson Pact. Swiftly, new eyes began forming within Asher's empty sockets.

Asher did not scream in pain. He wasn't a masochist, but he had endured far worse in battles and during more punishing forms of training.

Within seconds, a new pair of purple eyes replaced the ruined ones. Asher's eyelids fluttered open. His gaze drifted toward the mangled tissues and blood below. He did not panic nor check his eyes anxiously, he trusted Virelass's abilities completely.

'It seems it isn't as easy as I thought,' he mused. 'But at least I'm making progress.'

"Virelass, it seems I'm going to embark on yet another painful journey…" Asher muttered with a sigh. Virelass replied with a soft hum.

"You're right, Virelass. The system should give me a pain-nullification ability, or at least a perfect Star Energy control ability," Asher agreed with a smile, subtly directing his words toward the system.

[...]

[The Host is corrupting Virelass]

The mechanical voice of the system echoed a brief moment later, sounding almost speechless.

Asher smiled faintly, then shook his head. He was here to train; he had no time to entertain the complaints of either the system or Virelass.

'Virelass, let's continue,' he communicated. Virelass hummed as though declaring, 'I was born ready.'

With that, Asher continued. He didn't stop at augmenting his eyes; he shifted to his brain next, pushing his thinking and calculation speed to new heights.

And as time continued to drift forward, Asher poured every ounce of his will and focus into his training.

_____

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey everyone, help me thank AuraNova, she supported me with a Magic Castle. And also, thanks to everyone for their support.

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