Chapter 132

As soon as the shapeshifter's words fell, a smile that was hard to detect appeared at the corner of Luo En's mouth.

Even at a disadvantage, his eyes remained as firm as ever, without the slightest panic.

"You replicated my abilities."

Luo En straightened up slowly, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth: "But there are some things you can never replicate."

The shapeshifter sneered: "Still bluffing when death is imminent? You have exhausted everything; what other trump card could you have that I don't know about?"

"This."

Luo En quickly took out the silver pocket watch from his bosom and pressed the mechanism in the shapeshifter's surprised gaze.

The black gem in the center of the pocket watch lit up instantly, and a strange energy fluctuation spread from it, enveloping Luo En's whole body.

【Energy Consumption -3, Reset Current Injuries】

In an instant, the scars on Luo En's body disappeared as if time had flowed backward, and his aura returned to the peak state before the battle began.

A sharp light flashed in his eyes, and his entire temperament changed.

"The Time Guardian's Pocket Watch, after that damn goblin stole it while I was dormant, it actually fell into your hands..."

The shapeshifter exclaimed, surprise appearing in its voice for the first time: "And you actually activated it preliminarily!"

Without waiting for the other party to react, Luo En launched an offensive suddenly.

His swordsmanship became sharper, every sword half a point faster and three points heavier than before.

The shapeshifter was forced to retreat continuously, the surprise on its face gradually turning into solemnity.

"So that's it, the pocket watch reset your state; I explored for so many years and also..."

Luo En ignored it, flipped his left hand, took out a bottle of light red potion, and drank it in one gulp.

The moment the potion entered his throat, his eyes became brighter, his muscle lines became clearer, and his entire reaction speed and strength were significantly improved.

"Enhancement Potion?"

The shapeshifter's face changed slightly, and it also tried to take out a potion from its body, only to find that it could only replicate Luo En's movements but could not replicate his props.

It was already the limit to be able to simulate an ironwood sword; it hadn't reached the ability to directly simulate magic potions and alchemical substances, otherwise, it wouldn't be a shapeshifter but a "Creator."

"You can only replicate the abilities I display, but you cannot replicate my props. And, you want to re-replicate my state, which also requires time to prepare, right? I won't give you the chance!"

Luo En sneered, the ironwood sword in his hand drawing an arc, aiming straight for the shapeshifter's throat.

The shapeshifter barely avoided it, only to see Luo En throw two alchemical flashbangs with his other hand.

The flashbangs exploded in the air, releasing blinding strong light and deafening explosive sounds.

The shapeshifter replicated Luo En's form and abilities, and also made its audiovisual senses operate according to its structure.

The strong light and explosive sounds made it lose its sense of direction for a moment, and its figure appeared slightly staggering.

Luo En seized this fleeting opportunity, the whole person rushed forward like an arrow from a bow, the ironwood sword in his right hand thrusting straight at the shapeshifter's heart;

At the same time, his left hand opened suddenly, and a golden-red ring of light condensed in his palm, expanding instantly.

"Ring of Radiance!"

Although the shapeshifter's vision was interfered with, its instinctive sense of crisis made it barely avoid the fatal sword, but it couldn't completely dodge the Ring of Radiance that followed.

The golden-red ring of light penetrated its body, high temperature scorching its interior, while producing a strong blinding effect.

"Ah!" The shapeshifter let out a painful howl, its body surface began to fluctuate unstably, locally presenting the characteristics of liquid metal.

Luo En didn't give the opponent a chance to catch its breath, taking out the last bottle of potion from his waist bag—"Extreme Shadow," the strongest auxiliary potion he had specially prepared for this trip.

As the potion entered his throat, his figure instantly became blurred, and his speed was raised to an unimaginable level.

The shapeshifter hadn't fully recovered from the previous attack before feeling a series of sword lights strike.

Luo En's figure was like a ghost, attacking from all angles simultaneously, every sword fast as lightning, accurately landing on its key parts.

"Sonic Oscillation!"

Luo En suddenly stopped, extended his hand to push forward, and an invisible sonic energy struck the shapeshifter directly.

This time, he mobilized almost all the remaining magic power, making the power of the Sonic Oscillation reach an unprecedented height.

The shapeshifter's body twisted and deformed under the sonic impact, the silver liquid surface rolling incessantly like boiling.

Its body suddenly expanded, forming a huge silver sphere, then exploded with a bang, turning into countless liquid metal fragments splashing in all directions.

These fragments were like having life, changing directions in the air, attacking Luo En from all angles.

Luo En quickly deployed defense, but a few drops of metal liquid still penetrated his defense, landing on his skin, instantly igniting heart-piercing pain.

He gritted his teeth, enduring the severe pain, while looking for the shapeshifter's main body.

—Ring of Radiance!

The golden-red ring of light scattered out with unprecedented speed and power, penetrating the shapeshifter's body directly.

High temperature scorched every part of it, energy ripples exploded from the inside, tearing its silver liquid body into countless fragments.

The shapeshifter let out a final roar of unwillingness, its body completely collapsed, turning into a pool of silver liquid scattered on the ground, unable to re-gather ever again.

Luo En panted violently, his whole body soaked in sweat.

He looked at the pool of silver liquid on the ground that was no longer wriggling, and poked it a few times with the tip of his sword vigilantly, confirming that the shapeshifter had lost its activity.

"It seems I won." He said calmly, his voice without the slightest pride, only deep exhaustion.

【Storage of Rare Antique - "Skin of the Shapeshifter" has begun】

【Storage complete!】

【Please choose the direction of consciousness reconstruction:

1. Absolute Obedience: Delete all original personality, reshape into an absolutely obedient tool.

2. Limited Autonomy: Retain basic personality, but set clear behavioral boundaries and loyalty.

3. Partnership: Retain complete personality, but establish an equal and mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship.】

Luo En looked at these three options and fell into deep thought.

The first option is the safest, but it will also greatly reduce the flexibility and potential of the antique;

The third option has the greatest risk, but the return could also be the highest;

While the second option is a relatively balanced choice.

After experiencing the life-and-death battle just now, Luo En knew the danger of this antique well.

It can read memories, change forms, and even almost killed him.

Choosing to trust such an existence completely is undoubtedly extremely dangerous.

"I choose the first option." Luo En finally decided: "Delete all original personality, reshape into an absolutely obedient tool."

It doesn't matter; he doesn't need to develop the other party's potential; safety is the most important thing.

【Selection confirmed: Absolute Obedience】

【Reconstruction starting...】

The Skin of the Shapeshifter began to emit a faint light, the patterns on the surface constantly changing, as if accepting some kind of reprogramming.

"No! You can't do this!"

The shapeshifter sensed Luo En's intention, the silver liquid rolled violently, trying to escape.

"Rare antiques shouldn't have their own will."

Luo En said calmly, reaching out to operate on the interface: "You violated your own essence."

The shapeshifter struggled frantically, splitting into dozens of silver tentacles trying to attack the other party, while emitting sharp screams.

【Reconstruction Progress: 30%】

"I waited for hundreds of years! Devoured hundreds of souls! Just to break free from enslavement!"

The shapeshifter's voice was full of despair and anger: "I refuse to become a tool again!"

【Reconstruction Progress: 85%】

"I have absorbed soul energy close to the critical threshold... just one last step away..."

The shapeshifter's voice became twisted and desperate: "I could almost touch the taste of freedom..."

"It's a pity, you won't have this chance."

【Self-consciousness reconstruction complete】

The shapeshifter's final struggle also turned into nothingness, and that pool of silver liquid flowed obediently toward Luo En, attaching to his skin, forming a film that was almost impossible to detect.

Luo En could feel the shapeshifter completely merging with him, having become a pure tool, no longer having its own will and thoughts.

That struggle, anger, and desire for freedom of self-consciousness completely disappeared, leaving only basic functional programs.

This process lasted for a few minutes, during which Luo En could feel the connection with the antique becoming increasingly intense.

He felt a chill, but it wasn't uncomfortable, as if putting on a second layer of skin that fit extremely well.

【Skin of the Shapeshifter attached, establishing synchronization connection】

【Connection complete, you can now completely control the Skin of the Shapeshifter】

【Current disguise state: Original appearance (default state)】

【Tip: The self-consciousness of the Skin of the Shapeshifter can be edited and processed at any time】

"I can provide you with any image disguise at any time, including the simulation of aura and partial abilities."

This time, the shapeshifter's voice sounded directly in Luo En's mind, but there was no longer any emotional fluctuation:

"At the same time, I can completely isolate external spiritual power detection to protect your secrets from being peeked at."

Luo En tried to control it with his mind, surprised to find that he could easily change his appearance.

He tried to turn into Andre's appearance, then turned back to himself, the whole process smooth and natural, even the aura was exactly the same.

"Amazing." Luo En sighed in a low voice: "This is even more perfect than I imagined."

"Of course, this kind of disguise also requires energy support."

The shapeshifter explained mechanically:

"I need to hibernate to maintain basic energy, and will only wake up when you need me to play a role."

Just then, Andre, who was controlled by mental power on the side, finally regained consciousness, looking around blankly.

"What happened?" He asked confusedly, "How did I suddenly lose consciousness?"

Luo En quickly returned to his original appearance and walked to Andre's side:

"That old hag used some kind of mental control spell; we just experienced a fierce battle."

"Battle?" Andre was even more confused: "But it looks like... uh, like it was destroyed by a big storm..."

Indeed, inside the pawnshop, except for some relatively hard items, other bottles and jars were almost broken all over the floor.

Luo En smiled slightly: "It's okay, actually most of the battle happened outside the shop."

He then fabricated a simple story, claiming that he used mental power to counter and defeat the old hag, and obtained information about the Sands of Time.

Andre was half-believing, but given that he had indeed lost a period of memory, he could only accept this explanation:

"Then, did we find what we wanted?"

"Yes."

Luo En nodded and took out a small bottle from his bosom.

Inside were some golden sand grains flickering with strange light; this was provided to him by the shapeshifter just now:

"This is the Sands of Time; although the amount is not much, it is enough for my research."

"Great!" Andre breathed a sigh of relief: "Then can we go back? I feel a bit dizzy."

"Of course, let's go back immediately."

Luo En supported Andre, but secretly felt lucky that the shapeshifter's mental control saved him the trouble of explaining.

Leaving the pawnshop, Luo En looked back.

All the valuable items stored by the shapeshifter had been packed and taken away by him at this time.

But in his perception, the entire shop was still shrouded in an energy field, as if there were secrets waiting to be unearthed.

"Perhaps, I might come back later?"

He looked at this mysterious small shop, then supported the still somewhat dizzy Andre and left Lizard Alley.

On the way back to the school, Andre remained in a semi-comatose state.

Luo En used this time to communicate with the shapeshifter in his mind, obtaining more information about rare antiques.

When they finally returned to the school, the sky was near dusk.

After sending Andre back to the dormitory, Luo En returned to his workshop alone.

Pushing open the workshop door, Ailan was organizing magic potion materials; seeing Luo En return, she immediately put down the work in her hands and greeted him.

"Master, welcome back."

Ailan's vines swayed gently, and smooth handwriting appeared on the leaf writing board:

"I have been paying attention to your recent course performance, especially your control ability over light and fire elements; the progress is very obvious."

"Much better than expected."

Luo En responded with a smile, gently stroking Ailan's vines:

"I obtained some very valuable things."

"Do you need to rest?" Ailan asked with concern: "I have prepared dinner and hot tea."

"Thank you, Ailan." Luo En said gently:

"I'll go to the laboratory first and will be out soon."

He walked quickly into his laboratory, ensuring the doors and windows were closed, before saying to the shapeshifter in his mind:

"Now you can continue to detail the intelligence you possess."

The shapeshifter separated from Luo En's body surface, turning into a small human figure standing on the experimental table:

"Just as my core instructions now require, I will answer all your questions."

(End of chapter)