Adam scrolled through the artifact menu, looking for something cheap to merge with for new abilities. Each artifact cost 10 million, but as he continued to scroll, he saw discounted artifacts, ranging from 20% to 50% off. Finally, he found the cheapest one, at an 80% discount, costing exactly 2 million system coins.
It was a small golem doll. Its description stated its use for helping the user with tasks, able to store information, and follow instructions. It had the ability to transform into a bigger size to help carry and protect the user from harm. It was a useful golem that could rejoin itself if broken apart.
"Lyra, there's a discount on artifacts, and this one especially is just enough for me to buy," Adam informed her.
"That is a golem doll. It's usually given as a gift to female reincarnators who love dolls," Lyra explained. "It's used like a butler to help the reincarnator with trivial tasks. It can change in size to fit them, like a plushie or a keychain, or as big as a house."
Adam purchased it regardless, as it was all he could afford. A small golem doll dropped into his hand.
"This is an artifact?" Adam asked, looking at it closely.
"Go tickle Johan," Adam instructed the doll. The doll stood there, looking around, then wandered off, searching for Johan.
"Interesting, it can learn basic instructions," Adam commented. "Johan is located beside the camp, laying two feet by the right side. Tickle Johan," Adam whispered, testing if the doll could pick up instructions from a distance.
Instantly, the doll moved to the exact location, sensed Johan laying down, and tickled him. Johan suddenly felt something tickle him, saw a doll doing so, grabbed it, and tossed it far away.
"Come back!" Adam instructed. The doll immediately ran back towards Adam. "This is a very fun artifact; I know something useful about it," Adam said. "Merge it, Lyra, I know it is worth the 2 million system coins," Adam stated.
As Lyra connected to Adam, the artifact slowly merged, its mana signature unraveling. Adam now learned the power of the artifact. A new skill appeared: Codex.
"Lyra, look at this new ability! Come here and let me absorb some of your mana," Adam stated.
Lyra came closer as Adam held her hands to absorb mana. Adam then used his mana vision and coded the floor where Johan was sleeping. Any movement on that area would cause anything on top of it to bounce into the air.
Lyra used her mana vision and also saw what it would do. As Johan turned his body, he was suddenly propelled into the sky. The sudden shock made Johan look down from above. He saw Adam and Lyra looking at him and instantly knew it was their doing. Adam then codexed the air around Johan to reduce the gravitational pull. Johan suddenly felt like he wasn't falling.
Johan instantly teleported beside Adam. "Is it fun? Disturbing me?"
Adam and Lyra started laughing, hearing Johan's annoyed words. "Okay, okay, we won't disturb you. I'm just testing out my new ability," Adam explained.
"What exactly did you do?" Johan asked, as everyone else was confused by who Adam and Lyra were talking to since they couldn't see Johan.
"I can code anything to be something I want it to be," Adam explained. "Code? What is that?" Johan asked.
"It's kind of an instruction to change or make something do certain things. Hmm, an example of it is like you're watching TV and you use the controller to change the channel. For the TV to change channels, it has instructions written inside the TV to receive instructions from the remote. That is codes. Since I am able to manipulate mana, the codes combine with my mana manipulation and Lyra's intellect in creation magic. I'm able to change the codes of the very reality with this skill. However, there is also a limitation. Certain things like spells are also encoded and harder to recode or hack. Unless I can have the mana signatures of the original spell, I can unravel and decode it before recoding it." Adam explained.
"It's too much for me to process. I only understand the TV part," Johan spoke, still confused.
"It's fine, it's hard to understand, but I have been practicing with my universal tool, so this new ability is a cakewalk with my mana manipulation," Adam said.
"Okay, please don't disturb me anymore. I want my peace, which is why I got the cloak," Johan said.
"Alright! Alright, I won't disturb you," Adam agreed. Johan went back to rest.
"Adam, there's so much it can do," Lyra explained. "However, there is a problem of unravelling the mana signature of things or persons you want to use Codex on. Please be careful since it can alter humans entirely, causing irreversible damage. So it is advisable not to use Codex on humans," Lyra warned.