As Celestia attempted to complete her fusion with Leonar’s body, she felt her divine essence flowing through the mana channels of her new host. Everything seemed to be going smoothly; Leonar’s body resisted less than she had anticipated. However, just as she prepared to settle into his mind, she hit a barrier.
The impact wasn’t physical, but the sensation of being repelled was unmistakable, as if something unknown and immensely powerful was protecting that space. Celestia drew back, perplexed.
"What the hell is this?" she thought, carefully examining the barrier.
A lazy, almost sleepy voice interrupted her thoughts.
“Who are you?”
The tone was relaxed, almost indifferent, but with a hint of curiosity that sent a shiver through Celestia’s very being. The voice wasn’t hostile, but neither did it yield in any way. It carried such an overwhelming presence that, for a moment, Celestia felt her entire divine essence being crushed.
“Who am I…?” Celestia repeated, trying to regain her composure as she suppressed the shiver coursing through her incorporeal form. “Who are you?” she countered, attempting to match the other voice’s casual tone, though her nervousness was apparent.
“I asked first,” the voice replied calmly, followed by a faint yawn that echoed through the mental space.
Celestia cleared her throat awkwardly, unsettled by the situation, but ultimately decided to introduce herself.
“I am Celestia, an angel who has just formed a contract with this human. My purpose here is simple: to offer him my blessing and guidance so we can overcome the challenges ahead.”
On the other side, the figure Celestia couldn’t yet identify let out a sigh, heavy with exasperation.
“A contract, huh?” the voice muttered, its tone teetering between disbelief and irritation. “What stupid thing did you do this time, you idiot?”
Celestia felt a stab of discomfort at those words but forced herself to remain calm.
“And who are you?” Celestia asked again, this time with more firmness, trying not to succumb to the intimidation this presence exuded.
“That’s none of your business,” the voice answered nonchalantly, its tone so relaxed it seemed on the verge of sleep. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to sleep.”
Celestia’s nervousness shifted to a mix of frustration and helplessness.
“Wait a moment! You can’t just ignore me. If we’re going to share this space, the least you could do is introduce yourself. It’s only fair.”
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The presence chuckled softly, a sound that somehow made Celestia feel even more uneasy.
“Fair? Such a human concept. Well, since you insist, my name is Eleonora. That’s all you need to know for now.”
‘Eleonora?’
Even as Celestia searched her memories, she couldn’t recall any being of great power with that name.
‘What god does she serve to command this kind of presence?’
Since this entity was far beyond Celestia’s understanding and her instincts screamed at her to avoid a direct confrontation, she responded cautiously.
“Alright, Eleonora,” Celestia said, forcing herself to sound confident despite her nervousness. “Then… you won’t mind if I take a small corner of Leonar’s mind, will you?”
“Hold on,” Eleonora interrupted immediately.
Celestia stopped, confused.
“What is it?” she asked, her tone betraying a slight tremor.
“When you get the chance, pass me a copy of the contract you made with Leonar,” Eleonora replied, as if she were requesting something as mundane as a grocery list.
Celestia blinked several times, baffled.
“A copy of the contract? Why would you want that?”
“That’s none of your business either,” Eleonora said with another yawn, her voice growing quieter. “Oh, and by the way, try not to make too much noise with whatever it is you’re doing. I’m trying to sleep.”
Eleonora’s indifference left Celestia completely bewildered. She couldn’t understand how this being could be so relaxed when Leonar’s body, their supposed host, was visibly drained and weakened.
‘Does she not care at all what happens to Leonar out there?’ Celestia thought, though she didn’t dare say it aloud. Something told her that directly opposing Eleonora would not end well for her.
With a resigned sigh, Celestia decided to focus on her immediate task. She needed to stabilize her connection with Leonar and ensure that the sacred power she granted him wouldn’t harm his mortal body. However, the process was proving far more complicated than she had anticipated.
Meanwhile, in the outside world, Leonar studied his current status through the interface hovering in front of him:
Name: Leonar Hart
Level: 21
Class: None
HP: 102/451
MP: 21/159
HF: 0
[Attributes]
Strength: 41
Endurance: 50
Agility: 34
Intelligence: 26
Perception: 30
[Skills]
Soul Sight Lv. 10 (27%)
Regeneration Lv. 1 (45%)
Water Control Lv. 3 (4%)
Soul Bond with Eleonora Lv. 6 (19%)
Soul Bond with Celestia Lv. 1 (2%)
Blessings Lv. 1 (0%)
Leonar frowned as he noticed a new stat called ‘HF’, which was at zero, and an unfamiliar skill named ‘Blessings’. His curiosity grew, but before he could delve deeper, he tried calling out to Celestia.
“Celestia! What does all this mean?”
No answer came.
Leonar gritted his teeth and tried speaking in his mind. Finally, he received a hurried response.
“I’m here! I’m here! Just give me a few more seconds, please…”
Her voice sounded flustered, as though she were dealing with something complex.
Leonar sighed, but before he could reply, he felt the invisible ground beneath his feet begin to tremble. At first, the movement was so faint he thought he was imagining it, but soon the shaking grew more intense.
“This can’t be good…” he muttered, looking around. Not far off, he spotted another platform, but the distance was considerable.
“Celestia!” he shouted, his tone urgent. “Hurry up! This won’t hold much longer.”
Celestia’s voice responded again, even more tense than before.
“Just a bit longer! I’m adjusting something important. Please hold on!”
Leonar swallowed hard, his instincts screaming that something was about to go terribly wrong.