Chapter 185
Imari stood on tiptoes as she tried to gaze into the door ahead, her hands were behind her back as her curious cat-like eyes showed a hint of confusion.
It's been half an hour since Noah entered the building to get his Lucifer shot.
Imari felt confused because it's taking too long.
The other students that went in before him didn't take so long to finish the Astar Mark.
Don't tell me something happened?
Imari felt worried.
Imari is different compared to Noah. She was directly scouted by the Dawn Organization. The personnel who scouted her told her tons about the process. Like Noah, she was the only one in her school who was compatible with the Astar Mark process.
Imari might look like she's calm and informed. In reality, this behavior masked her unease.
Imari cared for the people around her. Although she only got to know Noah recently, she still liked Noah who hit it off with their similar interests. If Noah got into Kouryou Academy then this would lighten her unease.
But, it seems like something transpired.
Imari heard from her handler that there is a chance someone might be compatible with the Astar Mark but fail the process due to low pain tolerance. It's entirely possible for a Lucifer recipient to bow out of the process due to failing this integration process.
"Noah, don't tell me something like that happened?…"
Imari was concerned.
Her anxiety got dispelled when the main door opened. A certain individual walked out.
Imari's eyes lit up when she noticed something.
Noah changed his clothes.
He wore a white shirt with a blue tie. He also wore blue pants that went well with his black blazer.
Noah wore the standard Kouryou Academy uniform.
"Wow…"
Imari circled Noah with shining eyes.
"Oh my gosh, you look completely different when you're wearing their uniform, that's so nice."
"I don't get why you're so fascinated with this though?"
Noah giggled, he pointed his lips towards the building.
"It's your turn. Soon, you can wear the uniform too."
A doctor came out to announce her name.
"Next, Nagakura Imari!"
"Yes sir!"
Imari slapped Noah on his shoulders before she dashed over. She didn't forget to leave Noah while shouting out loud.
"Wait for me here! Don't go running off on your own!"
Imari ran into the building. Noah couldn't believe her, he gasped and bitterly laughed.
"I didn't even say yes…"
Noah wasn't in a hurry to leave anyway. He ignored the students around him who were whispering and pointing fingers. He leaned against a tree and he closed his eyes to enter a meditative state. His consciousness sank into his mind.
Noah's extremely perceptive senses were trained on his own body. He can sense tiny objects flowing throughout his body.
These are tiny machines that can't be observed with the naked eye. It's the nano-machines Imari told him about.
The Astar Mark brought multiple benefits to Noah.
Although his physical body didn't improve much, he walked away with three major perks:
1: Strengthened mental faculties.
2: Increased magic power from mental augmentations.
3: Although he didn't awaken his soul, Noah's arming sword and revolver were synthesized by the Astar Mark and his body's integrative properties. The weapons became his Blaze.
Noah wasn't expecting his body's assimilation ability to interact positively with the Astar Mark, turning his weapons into a part of himself.
Noah pieced together a theory for the transformations.
An Exceed is basically a superhuman who successfully passed the Astar Mark process. They possess enhanced physical and mental abilities. They can also manifest Blaze, a reflection of their souls.
Lucifer, the nano-machines injected into a subject gave rise to the Astar Mark.
Noah's body can absorb foreign powers.
However, this ability doesn't apply to physical objects.
If Noah got pierced by a sword, his body will not be able to absorb the blade.
The nano machines coursing throughout his body technically counts as physical objects. Noah's body couldn't outright absorb them.
But, Astar Mark is a supernatural phenomenon derived through the nano machines. The Astar Mark had magical properties that can enhance a human, even manifesting their souls.
If the Astar Mark is erased via ejecting all the nano machines, an Exceed will return to the level of an average human.
Noah's tyrannical assimilation ability took in the nano machines supernatural effects.
Even if the Astar Mark is removed now, Noah would still retain his abilities and augmentations.
These nano machines are effectively useless now, they cannot influence Noah anymore.
During this anomalous confluence of exceptional factors, the nano machines clashed with Noah's body to manifest his soul, causing an unprecedented change.
This change mutated the [soul-manifestation] property into [soul-lification] of physical weapons.
That's how his arming sword and revolver turned into Noah's Blaze.
In addition to physical, mental, and magic power enhancements. He derived two other abilities from Astar Mark.
Firstly, he can manifest his Blaze which represents a portion of his soul.
He had another peculiar [Limit] ability.
This struck Noah as something strange.
The Blaze he got was a mutation caused by his unique condition interacting with the Astar Mark.
What about the [Limit]?
"Noah…"
While Noah's busy figuring out his new ability. A weak voice called Noah back into reality.
Imari was standing in front of Noah before he knew it. She also changed her clothes already.
She wore a blue and white uniform that had a frilly collar. Her shoulders had blue shoulder pads while the area below her chest had a black vest that complemented her blue skirt well.
Imari is already a cute and beautiful girl. The uniform gave her a bubbly and youthful look that garnered the attention of many students around her.
Imari looked like she's exhausted. Noah quickly approached her.
"What's wrong? Why do you look so tired?"
"Of course I am!"
Imari wanted to cry but couldn't.
"I heard the Astar Mark integration process was painful. I didn't think it would hurt that much, I thought I would burn to death!"
Noah laughed out loud after recalling his own integration process.
"Ah!"
Imari pointed at him in anger.
"Why are you laughing at my pain!"
Imari raised her fists, it looked like she wanted to pommel Noah so he quickly got away.
"Don't run!"
The male and female students left the scene under the escort of waving Sakura trees. They disappeared beyond the petal strewn road.