Everyone Else Has a System

Spirit stones or Spirit cores, were a type of green coloured course that is dropped by a monster in a dungeon once they are killed.

Compared to the red coloured cores of the monsters outside, the spirit cores are green in colour and their quality depends upon their size.

The most important difference between the normal cores and the spirit cores is that while mana cores help in gaining more mana and increase the maximum power temporarily when consumed in high amount,

The spirit cores increase the potential of the System itself. It was a well known fact among the people during the later stages of the second Cataclysm and it was one of the reasons the dungeons were so popular.

You can upgrade your system from A-Rank to S-Rank and beyond, and the very thought of becoming a better rank was enough for the masses to give at least one try in these dungeons.

Though things weren't as easy as they seemed. The amount of spirit cores to upgrade the system increased drastically from one level to another and differed from system to system.

While it may be in thousands for some, for others it may even turn out to be in billions or more. Overall, this too was dependent on luck.

Coming to the part where one needs to absorb the spirit cores to upgrade a system, well there was only one way discovered so far, that too by a simple mistake of a curious scientist who was obsessed with them.

It was to mix them with one's blood and then circulate your mana through it slowly and slowly. Once it enters your bloodstream you need to focus it on your body and spread the whole energy gained from the cores, all over the body.

Though there remains one crucial step to actually let the system upgrade and that was to expel out any energy into your body and let it be defenseless for an unknown amount of time.

'Though, it is easy to figure out the time based one the Spirit core you absorbed,' I thought as I recalled back the ways people calculated the time.

Though their ways of calculation failed half the times so you never know.

….

I explained everything about the Spirit cores to Freya and she looked at me with an expression of disbelief. I then pondered a little before muttering,

"Want to make a deal with me?"

While they are oh so precious spirit stones, I don't have any use for them myself. I can sell it or negotiate with someone but that someone needs to be only A-Grade because above that level, I can't determine whether they will be able to upgrade their system or not.

Which brings me to Freya, an A-Grade System user, perfect to strike a deal with.

"In return for the method to upgrade the system using these?" She asked with a dazed look and I nodded.

"What do I need to do?" Looks like she was really encited by the idea of upgrading the system.

"I need you to get yourself stronger to S-Level first. Then, I need you to come in Arcadia Academy, there I will tell you a few secrets of mine. Until then, all I want is for you to keep getting stronger," I didn't exactly tell her what she needs to do and she, even though curious, silently nodded at my words.

She was about to take out a mana contract but I stopped her before speaking," it's okay. We can sign the contract after you reach Arcadia Academy."

Well, I could have used the mana contract, but honestly after the first Cataclysm, with the entry of Halflings, a species extremely versed in binding magic, can easily cross out the mana contract.

'Since I need her after the first Cataclysm, I suppose I can just use this way to gain a bit of her trust,' I thought as I looked at the smiling face of Freya as she just observed me.

I then proceeded to tell her the method, which she wholeheartedly listened and followed before absorbing a small piece of stone. It should take about an hour or two before she gets the system message, so I just left her on her own before moving towards the main gate of the Leeway castle.

'Well, I would love to say goodbye another time, but I think it would be better to leave now,' I then stepped out of the castle wondering if there is anything I had forgotten or not.

Though, after pondering a little, I still couldn't find anything so I just left from there. There were a lot of things which I needed to do in Arcadia Academy and the faster I reach there, I guess the better it would be.

I turned at the castle in the distance and silently vanish from there without letting anyone notice me.

….

A few hours later at the Leeway castle,

Freya came out running, trying to find Zero and tell her about her success with a joyful face but even after searching the whole castle she still couldn't find him.

She went to Mark and Mark guessed that he might have left as his work was done here. Which kind of made her a bit sad.

Later when everyone else found out about him leaving without telling anything, they were a bit sad but a few moments later they just realised that this is how he was, secretive and unpredictable.

The family then began moving doing their own respective tasks, some given by Zero and some by their own self. They knew what was going to come and proceed to do things in which they can protect their family… which now included Zero as well, despite him not being a blood relation of theirs.

William also moved along with Eliza, Cristine, and Lucia as soon as he heard that Zero left. They too didn't have any work left there and moved without informing anyone at the Leeways.

As for Zero,

He was ready at the airport, sitting on the Airplane about to depart to Arcadia Academy.

"You must be Zero, nice to meet you. I am Parallax, the-"

"Parallax, the SSS- Ranked Necromancer, I know," Zero spoke without turning at the bulky man sitting right beside him.

[Volume 3: Battle of the Iredale Castle Ends here]