The two kept talking about all sorts of subjects before Shawn apologized as he had received a transmission and had to leave.

"Here is a transmission crystal connected to mine. Let me know if you need anything." he said as he threw the crystal to Andrew and left in a hurry.

"Thanks!" Andrew quickly said before looking at the crystal in his hand.

[Inspect]

[Bound Transmission Crystal - Rare Magic Tool

Owner: Shawn Artros

Created from crystalized wind mana. A spatial array is inscribed on its surface which records the message and sends it to the desired target. It is different from a normal Transmission Crystal as the spatial formation only holds the coordinates of a single target. This, in turn, makes the transmission more reliable and quick.]

[Nice little thing.] Andrew thought before looking around him and noticing that the closest person was tens of metres away from him.

[It should be fine. Inventory.] he thought as the crystal in his hand completely disappeared.

He has already tested his Inventory skill back in Vlad's manor. It's just that, so far, there wasn't anything that he wanted to store.

[Now then, this thing.] he also found out that the space inside his inventory was closed off and that time was stagnant, meaning that anything he put there would not go bad or rot.

He started quickly grabbing food and pretended to shove it into his mouth. In reality he was activating his inventory constantly. As such, in no more than ten minutes the huge plate became empty, all of it being thrown into the inventory.

[After all, there should be no need for me to always come to this place.] It was pretty far from his accommodation after all.

As he finished, he rose and turned towards the exit. Behind him, the old woman appeared to pick up the now empty plate.

"Hehe, good child. I should have put him something for later as well. I'll remember next time." she smiled widely as she teleported away with the empty plate.

...

Andrew was walking down a hallway as he was thinking about his conversation with Shawn.

[I should really be careful what I say in front of others. Just some small talk and I almost revealed the System.] he thought.

[System, what's the time?]

[4:54 in the morning, host.] the System replied.

[Oh, there is still quite some time until that class. What should I do...] he wondered if he could just go and wait in the classroom.

[Eh?]

His train of thought was suddenly interrupted as he noticed a hooded man wearing a long, multicolored robe, standing at the end of the hallway. The colors on his robe seemed to change with each second and it was as if the properties of the robe changed with them.

As Andrew laid eyes on him, his heart trembled and his breathing became heavier. Just looking at the man seemed to create an innate pressure on Andrew's body and soul. Beads of sweat started forming on his forehead as his mind was rapidly working.

[This pressure...he isn't even letting out his aura! The last time I felt something like this was when I first met Nig...no! It's stronger than Night's pressure! If what I feel when I see Night can be described as a meeting with a higher being, this feels like a meeting with an entire world!] he thought as he looked at the man.

The vision of an endless sea started taking shape in Andrew's mind. The sea was full of gigantic and unique beasts and above it all, a palace was floating. The palace gave off a majestic feeling, as if the whole world was meant to bow to it.

For Andrew, it felt as if he was under it all and the pressure of the sea was drowning him.

[How can his pressure be stronger to that of a Guardian?!]

[System? Who is him?]

[I am afraid I don't understand the question, host. What is the target host is referring to?] the System replied in an unexpected way.

[What do you mean what is the target? The hooded figure in front of me of course!] Andrew shouted in his mind.

[System is not detecting any presence in the vicinity of host.]

[What do you mean??] Andrew was terrified and confused. [Inspect]

[Enhanced Wall

Made from hardened Shadow Rocks. Enhanced with defensive formations.]

[What...?]

[Detected instability in host's mind.]

[Oh you don't say!] Andrew answered both scared and annoyed.

"Uh, hello? Is there anything you want?" Andrew asked hesitantly. Contrary to his expectations the man actually replied, albeit weirdly.

"Hehe..." he chuckled. "This is funny." he said as a book appeared out of thin air in his hands and then he threw it towards Andrew.

Andrew felt his body move without his command and he hastily caught the book.

"What is th..." he wanted to ask but he looked up and found that the figure already disappeared. He then looked at the book in his hands, which, in truth, was the only proof he had that the man even existed. The cover seemed very old and worn out, and the words and letters on it seemed scrambled.

Andrew squinted his eyes as the letters seemed to move around before rearranging themselves to something readable.

"Fundamental Source Interlocked Cores" that was the title of the book.

[Information locked. Please upgrade the system.] the System's voice sounded in his mind.

[Eh? What do you mean? Wait...] he looked at the book in his hands.

[System, what am I holding in my hands?] Andrew suddenly asked.

[Nothing, host.] realization dawned upon Andrew.

[The system wasn't able to detect the man, nor is it able to detect the book. Is it because of those type A restrictions it was telling me about? Is it unable to detect something that is restricted? Or maybe that man purposely avoided the system's detection and this book is created to do the same?] Andrew was full of questions.

[What is this book anyway, Fundamental Source Interlocked Cores. If the system can't detect it then I won't be able to absorb it. That means I'll have to properly read it to find out what's it about.] Andrew sighed.

[Just...who was that man? That feeling, it was like he was even stronger than Night. No, I must be making a mistake. The Guardians are the strongest beings in this world. He was probably just enhancing his aura in a weird way that made him seems stronger than he was. Right, that must be it.] Andrew shook his head as he looked deeply at the book in his hands.

[Why would he give me this book?] he was full of questions. He stood there in silence for a few seconds.

[Well...it's not like I have anything better to do until the class at 7.] Curiosity got the best out of him so he sat down on the cold ground and opened the weird book.

[Eh? This is...] After reading the first page Andrew was shocked.

[This is just a crazy theory.] he thought. The book was presenting something Andrew has never heard of. It actually contained a way for someone to form multiple cores! It talked about forming a main core and nine auxiliary cores.

[But this...] Actually, the more he read, the more he thought that it seemed feasible. However, the thing that he wasn't so sure about was the fact that it was saying the other cores needed to be of different elements!

[How can someone have a core with an element they don't have an affinity with? This is just asking for trouble. The whole purpose of the Refinement stage is to strengthen the body and make it accommodate the elemental core in the next stage. But the only element it will accommodate is the one you used for refinement. How can it hold other elements?] He wondered as he turned another page.

[This is madness! It actually talks about going through the refinement stage nine more times with nine different elements! How would I even use other elements if I don't have any affinity with them?] he asked himself in confusion.

Then, a word seemed to form in his mind as he answered his own question.

[Ah...arrays.] he stood there for a second.

[Right! I can use arrays to guide other elemental powers to infuse in my body!] he starting flipping the pages of the book like mad.

[Ah, there are restrictions. Well, of course there are restrictions. You can't form a water core and a fire core, you would just be asking for your mana to go berserk. But then, are there any restrictions on the time element?] he continued looking through the book. There was nothing on the time element, but he did find something that startled him.

[What?? The chance of success is 1%?? Any deviation would lead to crippling one's foundation? This is...] he was shocked to find out that it wasn't so easy as stated in the first pages. But nonetheless, the idea had a certain appeal to him.

[Besides, I have the System. It should be able to control the new mana infusion better than me. That should increase the chances quite a lot....right?]

As Andrew finished going through the book, he was truly dazed.

A thought was formed in his mind, which he could no longer suppress no matter how hard he tried. After all, the possibility of forming ten cores and controlling multiple elemental powers was something he could not resist.

[I can try this...] he hesitantly came to a decision.