The numbers on the machine moved rapidly.
10
20
50
80
90….92….95….98
And the numbers paused at '99'. This indicated that she was just on the verge of reaching Level-2 which would make her '100' times stronger than an average human.
-Huu-
Jasmine let out a deep breath and her gaze moved towards Aria. A hint of pride could be seen in her eyes, but then suddenly she thought of something and her expression flattened.
"There, now you try." She said to Aria.
Aria nodded and was nervous too. This nervousness was not due to being weak, but rather due to being too strong.
He used the system's detection function on himself and he was surprised by the result. On the attributes page of the projection of the Book of Athenaeum there was another line.
***
[ Level: 7 (Lieutenant General) ]
[ Energy: Primordial Vital Force (100%) ]
[ Warning: The use of Level 7 strength increases the consumption of the Primordial Vital Force and Soul Power, harming the Host ]
***
'Athenaeum, why is my Level so high?'
[Due to the Host cultivating using the God Grade 'Scripture of Ancients' and the Energy from the Violet Pearl]
'Since the Violet Pearl exists no more, is it possible that my cultivation might degrade if I use my full power?'
[Affirmative]
'Is there a way to suppress my strength?'
[Accessing database]
[Initiating Memory Transfer for Power Control]
Immediately after that, a huge influx of memory surged into his mind. The memory was filled with combat experience and all sorts of methods and techniques to gain total control over one's body and power.
Using this new control, he immediately suppressed his body's strength to a level where it would stabilize and synchronize with the cultivation technique.
***
[ Level: 2 (Major: Suppressed) ]
[ Energy: Vital Energy (100%) ]
***
Instantly, Aria was able to control all the power, energy and strength of his body as if he had trained for it for a long long time.
All this process took hardly a few seconds in reality as Jasmine observed Aria. For some reason she felt a huge change within Aria in those few seconds.
She watched as he punched the machine lightly and a soft thud could be heard, there was hardly any noise. It was as if a small kid had punched his or her baby hands.
"Not like this, you need to apply more pow--"
Before Jasmine could even complete her sentence she stared at the screen in shock. There on the screen lay the number 100, not a single digit less or more.
Her mouth stood open in astonishment, she rubbed her eyes and thought the machine had been broken, so she too punched it again, but still it said '99' just one short of hundred, but she knew this one digit was a chasm deep enough to engulf many talented individuals. She was one of those talented individuals.
In his study room, the black device beside Old Seven rang and he answered.
"Yes?"
{Marshal Seven, Cadet Aria's test results are out.} Little Ki's voice sounded from the device.
"And?" Old Seven asked.
{Cadet Aria's power level is confirmed to be at Level-2.} Little Ki replied.
-Frrhhhh-
"WHAT!" Old Seven stood up in shock as he sprayed the mouthful of tea drenched in his saliva all over his desk.
'This brat, I expected him to get stronger since he was assimilating with that energy source but this is just cheating.'
"Use the devices to scan his body and erase the recording of the test after I view it, with my Guardian of the Planet authority and confirm his level with my authority as the Marshal. Instruct him to undergo the mandatory Academic recruitment test and get me the scan results of his body at the highest level."
Old Seven asked Little Ki to perform certain tasks after he authenticated his authority.
{Authority confirmed. Executing tasks.}
Old Seven then returned to his seat and waited for the results. After waiting for more than an hour, the black device rang.
{Marshal, the scan is complete. The energy source has vanished. The detectors did not find any trace of this energy in Major Aria's body. Instead the cellular density of his body seems to be heightened to an abnormal degree. The numbers indicate the density on the same level as a Level-7 Lieutenant General.}
-Ssss-
Old Seven sucked in a deep breath of cold air.
His expression alternated between surprise, relief and tensed.
"Play the recording." He said.
The screen played the recording of Aria punching.
'Hmm, even though the punch seems shabby, that control of power isn't something that a normal person can have without any intense practice. It seems that this brat is hiding something, he might as well be a spy from those external races. There is no choice, I must check it myself.'
"Escort Cadet Aria to the meditation center and seal the entire section to prevent energy leakage." Old Seven said as he once again stood. This time there was an additional ferocity in his eyes.
Soon Old Seven reached the meditation center and he found Aria standing there underneath the tree with his hand backwards, calmly gazing towards the approaching Old Seven.
As Aria had just fused with some part of his memories from his previous life his temperament was changing. Then during the test Athenaeum had detected a wave sweeping past his body, if he wanted he could have hidden the Vital Force inside his body with his formidable control but he preferred to be done with this once and for all. After all, if he gained Old Seven's acknowledgement and somehow convinced him, then everything would be very easy for him.
Aria watched Old Seven moving towards him. Just as he entered inside the meditation center, a blinding purple light emanated from the center of the room, which enveloped the entire center in a dome shaped formation containing an uncountable number of mantras in archaic language.
The moment the formation was completed---
-BOOM-
**
[Detected Host to be in the presence of the Sealing Universal Mantra]
[Extracting Data for further analysis]
[Warning; Soul Suppression Detected]
[Detected target's Soul Strength to be inferior to Host]
[Resisting]
***
A horrifying pressure emanated from Old Seven as Aria was engrossed in various messages from Athenaeum.